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Journal of Applied Physics / Volume 101 / Issue 10 / DIELECTRICS AND FERROELECTRICITY

J. Appl. Phys. 101, 104111 (2007); doi:10.1063/1.2733656 (9 pages)

Role of template layer on microstructure, phase formation and polarization behavior of ferroelectric relaxor thin films

R. Ranjith1, Ayan Roy Chaudhuri1, S. B. Krupanidhi1, and P. Victor2

1Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 India
2Materials Science and Engineering, Rennsalaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180

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(Received 11 December 2006; accepted 20 March 2007; published online 25 May 2007)

(1−x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3−(x)PbTiO3 (PMNPT) a relaxor ferroelectric has gained attention due to its interesting physical properties both in the bulk and thin film forms from a technological and fundamental point of view. The PMNPT solid solution at the morphotropic phase boundary composition has superior properties and is potentially used as an electrostrictive actuator, sensor, and in MEMS applications. Deposition of phase pure PMNPT thin films on bare platinized silicon wafers has been an impossible task so far. In this study the role of the LSCO template on the phase formation and the influence of platinum surface on the same have been studied. It was observed that formation of hillocks in Pt coated silicon wafers is associated with an ATG type of instability while roughening through strain relaxation. The hillocks formation was observed only on the troughs of the strain waves on the surface of Pt. The nucleation and growth of the PMNPT films were analyzed using AFM studies and the nucleation nucleates only at the tips of the hillocks and grows along the same direction with a new nucleus adjacent to the first one. A wavy pattern of PMNPT nuclei was observed and later the lateral growth of the islands takes place to cover the surface and minimizes the roughness to 2 nm. Hence, a template layer with a minimum of 40 nm is required to have a complete coverage with a roughness of less than 2 nm. The chemical states of the PMNPT films grown with and without the template layer were analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectrum. The XPS spectrum of PMNPT deposited on a Pt surface exhibited a reduced oxidation state of niobium ions and a metallic state of Pb at the initial stage of the growth, which effectively destabilizes the perovskite phase of PMNPT in which the charge states and the ordering of Nb and Mg are more crucial to have a stable perovskite structure.

© 2007 American Institute of Physics

Article Outline

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. EXPERIMENTAL
  3. RESULTS and DISCUSSION
    1. Surface studies on pristine substrates
    2. Structural and micro structural evolution
      1. X-ray diffraction
      2. TEM studies
      3. AFM studies
    3. XPS studies
    4. Polarization hysteresis
  4. CONCLUSIONS

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

ferroelectric thin films, relaxor ferroelectrics, dielectric polarisation, lead compounds, nucleation, surface roughness, X-ray photoelectron spectra

PACS

  • 68.55.A-

    Nucleation and growth

  • 77.55.-g

    Dielectric thin films

  • 68.35.B-

    Structure of clean surfaces (and surface reconstruction)

  • 77.84.Ek

    Niobates and tantalates

  • 77.84.Cg

    PZT ceramics and other titanates

  • 77.22.Ej

    Polarization and depolarization

  • 79.60.Dp

    Adsorbed layers and thin films

ARTICLE DATA

Permalink
http://link.aip.org/link/doi/10.1063/1.2733656

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN:

0021-8979 (print)  
1089-7550 (online)

Publisher:

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef American Institute of Physics

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