Magnetoelectric Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3–La0.65Sr0.35MnO3 composite thin films derived by the pulse laser deposition method

The magnetoelectric (ME) Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3–La0.65Sr0.35MnO3 (PZT–LSMO) composite thin films were grown on single crystalline SrTiO3 substrates by the pulse laser deposition (PLD) method with different growth sequences of PZT and LSMO yielding the following layered structures: PZT/LSMO/substrate (PL) and LSMO/PZT/substrate (LP). The experimental results show that these composite films exhibit both good ferroelectric and magnetic properties, as well as magnetoelectric effects at room temperature. The layer sequences have an obvious influence on the magnetoelectric coupling behavior of these double-layered thin films. The maximum values of ME voltage coefficient for the PL thin film is larger than the LP structure, which may be caused by the substrate clamping and interface bonding of PZT and LSMO.

► Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3–La0.65Sr0.35MnO3 bilayers were deposited by pulse laser deposition.
► Noticeable magnetoelectric effect was observed.
► Magnetoelectric coupling effect of the bi-layer thin films foreshow a new promising ME devices.