Reduction Pathway and Temperature-Dependent Decomposition of Epitaxial BiFeO3 Thin Films Under CaH2 Treatment

The control of oxygen stoichiometry via topochemical reduction offers a powerful route to manipulate the functional properties of complex oxides. Here, we investigate the chemical and structural evolution of epitaxial BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films under CaH2 treatment in a sealed tube, using a representative reduction condition of 365 °C for 2 h and a temperature window of 345 to 380 °C to probe the reduction dependent evolution. The inherent sensitivity of BFO’s multiferroic properties to oxygen vacancy formation and cation valence states makes it an ideal platform to probe reduction pathways. The aim of this work is to elucidate the detailed reduction pathway, including phase stability, valence changes in Bi and Fe, and the morphological consequences of oxygen extraction. Using a combination of spectroscopic, diffraction, and microscopic techniques, it was demonstrated that CaH2 annealing does not yield a homogeneous oxygen-deficient perovskite. Instead, it triggers a decomposition into Bi2O3, metallic Bi, and FeOx secondary phases, accompanied by severe surface roughening. This chemical reconstruction leads to a strong suppression of the ferromagnetic-like response and a redshift in the optical absorption edge.