Intrinsic Ferroelectric Properties of Strained Tetragonal PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 Obtained on Layer–by–Layer Grown, Defect–Free Single–Crystalline Films

By I. Vrejoiu, G. Le Rhun, L. Pintilie, D. Hesse, M. Alexe, U. Gösele. 2006

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In the case of silicon (and other semiconductors) defects have to be thoroughly controlled. The growth of defect–free single crystals is a prerequisite for the accurate assessment of intrinsic physical properties of silicon, such as electronic band structure, optical bandgap, carrier densities, and so forth. If large single crystals cannot be grown, as in the case of the ferroelectric PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 perovskite, intrinsic properties can be studied on single–crystalline films, if the quality of growth permits the achievement of films that are free from extended defects. Here, we report on the intrinsic physical properties of strained, defect–free, single–crystalline PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). PbZrxTi1–xO3 (PZT) ferroelectrics are considered for most applications involving ferroelectric oxide materials, from piezoelectric transducers to dynamic nonvolatile random access memories. The incongruent melting of PbZrO3 and PbTiO3 as well as the high volatility of PbO at growth temperatures pose a challenge in establishing the equilibrium of bulk crystals of PZT. [3] Therefore, single–domain single crystals of PZT have never been synthesized for a significant compositional range across the solid–solution phase. This leaves the intrinsic properties of single–domain PZT crystals under debate. [4] Hence, the growth of single–crystalline defect–free PZT thin films may enable the study of fundamental physical properties. For instance, the spontaneous polarization PS, which is a fundamental parameter that defines the performance of a ferroelectric material, is rarely reported due to the lack of single crystals [4] and perfectly polar–axis–oriented films. [5,6] Although the mac

Subfields: Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Materials Chemistry

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