Multiferroic and magnetoelectric properties of nanostructured BaFe0.01Ti0.99O3 thin films obtained under polyethylene glycol conditions

• Multiferroic nanostructures of perovskite BaTiO3.
• PEG as Surfactant.
• Magnetoelectric coefficient at room temperature.
• Atomic force microscopy.
• Excess of PEG increases the length of hydrophilic layer.

Multiferroic BaFe0.01Ti0.99O3 (BFT) thin films were prepared by sol–gel combined metallo-organic decomposition method using spin-coating technique with polyethylene glycol (PEG) conditions [BFT coating solution was prepared by adding PEG (in volume) 3% (BFT3) and 5% (BFT5)]. X-ray diffraction confirms the formation of polycrystalline BFT of tetragonal phase. Atomic force and scanning electron microscopy shows nanoparticles in BFT3 and nanorods in BFT5 sample. The coexistence of ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity show more enhancement in case of BFT nanorods than nanoparticles. The observed ferromagnetism depends upon the oxygen vacancy and ferroelectric polarization on nanostructures, tetragonal phase and epitaxial strain. The magnetoelectric coefficient as the function of applied dc magnetizing field under ac magnetic field 10 Oe and frequency 847 Hz is measured.