  The influence of the deposition pressure PO2 and substrate temperature TS
during the growth of Bi2FeCrO6 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition has
been investigated. It is found that the high volatility of Bi makes the
deposition very difficult and that the growth of pure Bi2FeCrO6 thin films on
SrTiO3 substrates is possible only in a narrow deposition parameter window. We
find that the pure Bi2FeCrO6 phase is formed within a narrow window around an
oxygen pressure PO2 =1.210-2 mbar and around a substrate temperature TS=680
degC. At lower temperature or higher pressure, Bi7.38Cr0.62O12+x_also called
(b*Bi2O3)and Bi2Fe4O9 /Bi2(Fe,Cr)4O9+x phases are detected, while at lower
pressure or higher temperature a (Fe,Cr)3O4 phase forms. Some of these
secondary phases are not well known and have not been previously studied. We
previously reported Fe/Cr cation ordering as the probable origin of the tenfold
improvement in magnetization at saturation of our Bi2FeCrO6 film, compared to
BiFeO3. Here, we address the effect of the degree of cationic ordering on the
magnetic properties of the Bi2FeCrO6 single phase. Polarization measurements at
room temperature reveal that our Bi2FeCrO6 films have excellent ferroelectric
properties with ferroelectric hysteresis loops exhibiting a remanent
polarization as high as 55-60 miroC/cm2 along the pseudocubic (001) direction.
