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Fabrication of continuous ultrathin ferroelectric films by chemical solution deposition methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

J. Ricote ,
S. Holgado ,
Z. Huang ,
P. Ramos ,
R. Fernández  and
M.L. Calzada
J. Ricote*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
S. Holgado
Affiliation:
Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
Z. Huang
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, United Kingdom
P. Ramos
Affiliation:
Departamento de Electrónica, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
R. Fernández
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
M.L. Calzada
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: jricote@icmm.csic.es
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Abstract

The integration of ferroelectrics in nanodevices requires firstly the preparation of high-quality ultrathin films. Chemical solution deposition is considered a rapid and cost-effective technique for preparing high-quality oxide films, but one that has traditionally been regarded as unsuitable, or at least challenging, for fabricating films with good properties and thickness below 100 nm. In the present work we explore the deposition of highly diluted solutions of pure and Ca-modified lead titanates to prepare ultrathin ferroelectric films, the thickness of which is controlled by the concentration of the precursor solution. The results show that we are able to obtain single crystalline phase continuous films down to 18 nm thickness, one of the lowest reported using these methods. Below that thickness, the films start to be discontinuous, which is attributed to a microstructural instability that can be controlled by an adequate tailoring of the processing conditions. The effect of the reduction of thickness on the piezoelectric behavior is studied by piezoresponse force microscopy. The results indicate that films retain a significant piezoelectric activity regardless of their low thickness, which is promising for their eventual integration in nanodevices, for example, as transducer elements in nanoelectromechanical systems.

Keywords

FerroelectricPiezoresponseSolution deposition
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 23 , Issue 10 , October 2008 , pp. 2787 - 2795
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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References

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