Enhanced magnetoelectric properties in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3-CoFe2O4 layered thin films with LaNiO3 as a buffer layer

Conductive LaNiO3 thin films were prepared via a simple solution method to be used as both a buffer layer and a bottom electrode layer, on which Pb(Zr,Ti)O3-CoFe2O4 bi-layered films were also deposited by a similar solution method. The results showed that the LaNiO3 buffer layer could induce a different preferential orientation for the Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 layer in the composite films and thus lead to different ferroelectric behaviour. More importantly, this LaNiO3 buffer obviously enhanced the magnetoelectric response of the Pb(Zr,Ti)O3-CoFe2O4 bi-layered thin films.