Photoinduced electrical properties of Mn-doped BiFeO₃thin films prepared by chemical solution deposition

Abstract

Polycrystalline Mn-doped BiFeO3 thin films with a relatively narrow band gap were prepared on Pt/TiOx/SiO2/Si and MgO(100) substrates by chemical solution deposition. Their photoinduced electrical properties under visible light irradiation (400–700 nm) were characterized. The rapid on/off response of the photocurrent to light in unpoled BiFeO3-based thin films was demonstrated. From the direction of the electric current, the internal bias electric field caused by the space charge distribution in the unpoled film is considered to have an important effect on photocurrent generation and photovoltaic phenomena. Although Mn doping did not greatly affect the band gap and ferroelectric remanent polarization, it had an influence on the photocurrent behavior and photovoltaic properties. The magnitude of the photoinduced current of the film decreased with increasing Mn doping. In this case, the energy level created in BiFeO3 by Mn doping traps carriers generated by photoexcitation. The interfacial state between the thin film and the top or bottom electrode and the electrical resistivity at low applied voltages were also found to be related to the photoinduced behavior of the Mn-doped BiFeO3 thin films.