Open Access Article
This Open Access Article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 3.0 Unported Licence

Flexible high-sensitivity magnetoelectric thin film composites of solution-derived BiFeO3-PbTiO3 layers on Ni foils

(Note: The full text of this document is currently only available in the PDF Version )

Adriana Barreto , Ricardo Jiménez , Pablo Ramos , Harvey Amorín , Iñigo Bretos , Miguel Alguero and M. Lourdes Calzada

Received 2nd June 2025 , Accepted 20th August 2025

First published on 27th August 2025


Abstract

This study propels the development of high-sensitivity magnetoelectric (ME) thin-film composites for miniaturized energy harvesters, targeting applications like wearable self-powered sensors and actuators. ME structures are fabricated using a low-temperature solution deposition method, which is both cost-effective and straightforward for real device fabrication. The materials consist of BiFeO3-PbTiO3 ferro-piezoelectric perovskite thin films deposited on magnetostrictive nickel (Ni) substrates. For the first time, the study investigates films with sub-micron thickness (≤500 nm) of this high Curie temperature perovskite compound, and compares the performance of rigid and flexible structures. A major challenge was to attain good elastic coupling between the piezoelectric and magnetostrictive components to enhance magnetoelectric response. A synergistic approach was used to achieve this goal combining low-temperature processing to minimize Ni oxidation and the introduction of a lanthanum manganite (La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, LSMO) layer between the ferroelectric oxide and magnetic metal. The solution-derived LSMO acts simultaneously as a diffusion barrier, bottom electrode and crystallization promoter for the BF–PT film. Flexible structures demonstrate superior functional performance, with high remnant polarizations (PR ∼50 µC·cm-2) and voltage magnetoelectric coefficients (αME∼100 mV·cm⁻¹·Oe⁻¹), as well as appropriate voltage sensitivity to magnetic field (∼3.8 µV·Oe-1), demonstrating their suitability for multifunctional energy harvesting and sensing technologies.


Click here to see how this site uses Cookies. View our privacy policy here.