In-situ Growth of Epitaxial PbVO3 Thin Films under Reduction Atmosphere

PbVO3 (PVO), a polar magnetic material considered as a candidate of multiferroic, has ferroelectricity along the c-axis and 2-dimensional antiferromagnetism lying in the in-plane through epitaxial growth [1,2]. PVO thin films were grown on LaAlO3 (001) substrates under reduction atmosphere from a stable Pb2V2O7 sintered target using pulsed laser deposition method. Epitaxial growth of the PVO films is possible only under Ar atmospheren with no oxygen partial pressure. X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the phase formation and texture of the films. We confirmed epitaxial growth of the PVO films with crystalline relationship of PbVO3[001]//LaAlO3[001] and PbVO3[100]//LaAlO3[100]. In addition, surface morphology of the films displays drastic changes in accordance with the growth conditions. Elongated PVO grains are related to the Pb2V2O7 pyrochlore structure. The relation between structural deformation and ferroelectricity in the PVO films was examined by local measurement of piezoresponse force microscopy.