Multiferroic Properties of Hexagonal YbMnO $_{3}$ Thin Films

The hexagonal (HX) YbMnO₃ thin films were synthesized on the substrates of (111)Y₂O₃:ZrO₂ and (111)Pt/(0001)Al₂O₃ by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), and their structural, magnetic, and electrical properties are measured. The temperature-dependent magnetization clearly displays an antiferromagnetic ordering near 80 K with field perpendicular to the film surface. In the curve of polarization-voltage, the HX-YbMnO₃ thin films show distinct ferroelectricity with the room-temperature remanent polarization and coercive field being 1.1 muC/cm² and 58 kV/cm, respectively. These results indicate that the HX-YbMnO₃ thin films are prominent candidates for the applications of multiferroic devices.