Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fabrication of ultrathin film capacitors by chemical solution deposition

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A facile solution-based processing route using standard spin-coating deposition techniques has been developed for the production of reliable capacitors based on lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) with active areas of ⩾1 mm2 and dielectric layer thicknesses down to 50 nm. With careful control of the dielectric phase development through improved processing, ultrathin capacitors exhibited slim ferroelectric hysteresis loops and dielectric constants of >1000, similar to those of much thicker films. Thus, it has been demonstrated that chemical solution deposition is a viable route to the production of capacitor films which are as thin as 50 nm but are still macroscopically addressable with specific capacitance values >160 nF/mm2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

FIG. 1
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIG. 4
FIG. 5
FIG. 6
FIG. 7
FIG. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. N. Setter, D. Damjanovic, L. Eng, G. Fox, S. Gevorgian, S. Hong, A. Kingon, H. Kohlstedt, N.Y. Park, G.B. Stephenson, I. Stolitchnov, A.K. Taganstev, D.V. Taylor, T. Yamada S. Streiffer: Ferroelectric thin films: Review of materials, properties, and applications. J. Appl. Phys. 100, 051606 2006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. S. Trolier-McKinstry P. Muralt: Thin film piezoelectrics for MEMS. J. Electroceram. 12, 7 2004

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. G.L. Brennecka, W. Huebner, B.A. Tuttle P.G. Clem: Use of stress to produce highly oriented tetragonal lead zirconate titanate (PZT 40/60). J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 87, 1459 2004

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. C.H. Ahn, K.M. Rabe J-M. Triscone: Ferroelectricity at the nanoscale: Local polarization in oxide thin films and heterostructures. Science 303, 488 2003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. A. Rudiger, T. Schneller, A. Roelofs, S. Tiedke, T. Schmitz R. Waser: Nanosize ferroelectric oxides–tracking down the superparaelectric limit. Appl. Phys. A 80, 1247 2005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Y.S. Kim, D.H. Kim, J.D. Kim, Y.J. Chang, T.W. Noh, J.H. Kong, K. Char, Y.D. Park, S.D. Bu, J-G. Yoon J-S. Chung: Critical thickness of ultrathin ferroelectric BaTiO3 films. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 102907 2005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. D.D. Fong C. Thompson: In-situ synchrotron x-ray studies of ferroelectric thin films. Annu. Rev. Mater. Res. 36, 431 2006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. V.K. DeMarquis, R.A. Brooks J.O. Harris: Reliability and Volumetric Evaluation of Ceramic Capacitors for Pulse-Discharge Applications, (Sandia National Laboratories, SAND Report, SAND2003-0241C) 2003

    Google Scholar 

  9. B.A. Tuttle R.W. Schwartz: Solution deposition of ferroelectric thin films. MRS Bull. 6, 49 1996

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. G. Yi, Z. Wu M. Sayer: Preparation of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films by sol gel processing: Electrical, optical, and electro-optic properties. J. Appl. Phys. 64, 2717 1988

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. T. Tani D.A. Payne: Lead oxide coatings on sol-gel-derived lead lanthanum zirconate titanate thin layers for enhanced crystallization into the perovskite structure. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 77, 1242 1994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. K.T. Miller, F.F. Lange D.B. Marshall: The instability of polycrystalline thin films. J. Mater. Res. 5, 151 1990

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Seifert, A. Vojta, J.S. Speck F.F. Lange: Microstructural instability in single-crystal thin films. J. Mater. Res. 11, 1470 1996

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. M.H. Frey D.A. Payne: Grain-size effect on structure and phase transformations for barium titanate. Phys. Rev. B 54, 3158 1996

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. T.M. Shaw, S. Trolier-McKinstry P.C. McIntyre: The properties of ferroelectric films at small dimensions. Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci. 30, 263 2000

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. J.H. Park S. Trolier-McKinstry: Dependence of dielectric and piezoelectric properties on film thickness for highly {100}-oriented lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (70/30). J. Mater. Res. 16, 268 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. M.H. Frey, Z. Xu, P. Han and D.A. Payne: The role of interfaces on an apparent grain size effect on the dielectric properties for ferroelectric barium titanate ceramics. Ferroelectrics 206–207, 337 1998

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. S.V. Kalinin and D.A. Bonnell: Local potential and polarization screening on ferroelectric surfaces. Phys. Rev. B 63, 125411 2001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. M. Stengel and N.A. Spaldin: Origin of the dielectric dead layer in nanoscale capacitors. Nature 443, 679 2006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. D.B. Dimos, R.W. Schwartz and S.J. Lockwood: Control of leakage resistance in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films by donor doping. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 77, 3000 1994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. D.B. Dimos and C.H. Mueller: Perovskite thin films for high-frequency capacitor applications. Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci. 28, 397 1998

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. D.J. Wouters, G. Willems, G. Groeseneken, H.E. Maes, K. Brooks, and R. Klissurska: The influence of dopants on the leakage current in PZT thin-film ferroelectric capacitors, Science and Technology of Electroceramic Thin Films, Vol. 284, NATO Advanced Study Institutes, edited by O. Auciello and R. Waser (Kluwer, London, UK) 279 1995

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. G.L. Brennecka, C.M. Parish, B.A. Tuttle and L.N. Brewer: Reversibility of the perovskite ↔ pyrochlore transition in lead zirconate titanate-based thin films (2007, in preparation)

    Google Scholar 

  24. S-Y. Chen and I-W. Chen: Temperature-time texture transition of Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 thin films: I, role of Pb-rich intermediate phases. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 77, 2332 1994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. A. Wu, P.M. Vilarinho, I.M. Miranda Salvado, J.L. Baptista, Z. Zhou, I.M. Reaney, A.R. Ramos and M.F. de Silva: Effect of lead zirconate titanate seeds on PtxPb formation during the pyrolysis of lead zirconate titanate thin films. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 85, 641 2002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. B.A. Tuttle, G.L. Brennecka, D.P. Williams, M.A. Rodriguez and T.J. Headley: High energy density PLZT thin film capacitors Advanced Dielectric, Piezoelectric, and Ferroelectric Thin Films, edited by B.A. Tuttle, C. Chen, Q. Xia, and R. Ramesh (Ceram. Trans. 162, Indianapolis, IN) 2004), p. 17

  27. D.P. Williams, B.A. Tuttle, R.U. Grubbs and P.G. Clem: Fabrication and characterization of integrated PLZT thin film capacitors via aerosol spray deposition, in Ceramic Interconnect Technology: The Next Generation II (Proceedings of the IMAPS/ACerS Ceramic Interconnects Conference, Denver, CO, 2004).

Download references

Acknowledgments

B.B. McKenzie provided essential technical assistance in the microstructural characterization of these films. The authors would also like to thank P.A. Mahoney and J.S. Wheeler for their technical assistance and valuable input into this project. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sandia National Laboratories, Electronic and Nanostructured Materials, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87185-1411, USA

    Geoff L. Brennecka & Bruce A. Tuttle

Authors
  1. Geoff L. Brennecka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bruce A. Tuttle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Geoff L. Brennecka.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brennecka, G.L., Tuttle, B.A. Fabrication of ultrathin film capacitors by chemical solution deposition. Journal of Materials Research 22, 2868–2874 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2007.0371

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2007.0371

Search

Navigation