Improved ferroelectric and fatigue properties in Ho doped BiFeO3 thin films

• The ferroelectric properties of BiFeO3 thin films are enhanced obviously after doping Ho.
• The fatigue behaviors of BiFeO3 thin films are enhanced obviously after doping Ho.
• The enhanced ferroelectricity is attributed to ferroelectric distortion derived from the structural transformation.
• The rhombohedral structure of pure BiFeO3 transforms to the coexistence of tetragonal and orthorhombic symmetry structure.

Single-phase multiferroic BiFeO3 and Holmium (Ho) doped BiFeO3 thin films have been prepared via solution–gelation technique. It shows that ferroelectric properties are enhanced and leakage current is reduced obviously after doping Ho. Such improved ferroelectric and leakage properties are attributed to the structural transforms from rhombohedral to the coexistence of tetragonal and orthorhombic symmetry structure after doping Ho. At the mean time, the fatigue behaviors of the present films were improved obviously after doped Ho. The present work provides an available way on enhancing multiferroic and fatigue properties of BiFeO3 based thin films.