TY - JOUR
T1 - Nanocrystalline Ferroelectric BiFeO3 Thin Films by Low-Temperature Atomic Layer Deposition
AU - Coll, Mariona
AU - Gazquez, Jaume
AU - Fina, Ignasi
AU - Khayat, Zakariya
AU - Quindeau, Andy
AU - Alexe, Marin
AU - Varela, Maria
AU - Trolier-Mckinstry, Susan
AU - Obradors, Xavier
AU - Puig, Teresa
PY - 2015/9/22
Y1 - 2015/9/22
N2 - In this work, ferroelectricity is identified in nanocrystalline BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films prepared by low-temperature atomic layer deposition. A combination of X-ray diffraction, reflection high energy electron diffraction, and scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis indicates that the as-deposited films (250 °C) consist of BFO nanocrystals embedded in an amorphous matrix. Postannealing at 650 °C for 60 min converts the sample to a crystalline film on a SrTiO3 substrate. Piezoelectric force microscopy demonstrates the existence of ferroelectricity in both as-deposited and postannealed films. The ferroelectric behavior in the as-deposited stage is attributed to the presence of nanocrystals. Finally, a band gap of 2.7 eV was measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. This study opens broad possibilities toward ferroelectric oxides on 3D substrates and also for the development of new ferroelectric perovskites prepared at low temperature.
AB - In this work, ferroelectricity is identified in nanocrystalline BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films prepared by low-temperature atomic layer deposition. A combination of X-ray diffraction, reflection high energy electron diffraction, and scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis indicates that the as-deposited films (250 °C) consist of BFO nanocrystals embedded in an amorphous matrix. Postannealing at 650 °C for 60 min converts the sample to a crystalline film on a SrTiO3 substrate. Piezoelectric force microscopy demonstrates the existence of ferroelectricity in both as-deposited and postannealed films. The ferroelectric behavior in the as-deposited stage is attributed to the presence of nanocrystals. Finally, a band gap of 2.7 eV was measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. This study opens broad possibilities toward ferroelectric oxides on 3D substrates and also for the development of new ferroelectric perovskites prepared at low temperature.
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U2 - 10.1021/acs.chemmater.5b02093
DO - 10.1021/acs.chemmater.5b02093
M3 - Article
SN - 0897-4756
VL - 27
SP - 6322
EP - 6328
JO - Chemistry of Materials
JF - Chemistry of Materials
IS - 18
ER -