Compositionally-graded ferroelectric thin films by solution epitaxy produce excellent dielectric stability

Ruian Zhang; Chen Lin; Hongliang Dong; Haojie Han; Yu Song; Yiran Sun; Yue Wang; Zijun Zhang; Xiaohe Miao; Yongjun Wu; Zhe Ren; Qiaoshi Zeng; Houbing Huang; Jing Ma; He Tian; Zhaohui Ren; Gaorong Han

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-55411-7

Nature Communications (Jan 2025)

Compositionally-graded ferroelectric thin films by solution epitaxy produce excellent dielectric stability

Ruian Zhang,
Chen Lin,
Hongliang Dong,
Haojie Han,
Yu Song,
Yiran Sun,
Yue Wang,
Zijun Zhang,
Xiaohe Miao,
Yongjun Wu,
Zhe Ren,
Qiaoshi Zeng,
Houbing Huang,
Jing Ma,
He Tian,
Zhaohui Ren,
Gaorong Han

Affiliations

Ruian Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University
Chen Lin: State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University
Hongliang Dong: Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research
Haojie Han: State Key Lab of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University
Yu Song: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology
Yiran Sun: State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University
Yue Wang: State Key Lab of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University
Zijun Zhang: Center of Electron Microscopy, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University
Xiaohe Miao: Instrumentation and Service Center for Physical Sciences, Westlake University
Yongjun Wu: State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University
Zhe Ren: Multi-discipline Research Center, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qiaoshi Zeng: Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research
Houbing Huang: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology
Jing Ma: State Key Lab of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University
He Tian: State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University
Zhaohui Ren: State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University
Gaorong Han: State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55411-7
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Abstract The composition in ferroelectric oxide films is decisive for optimizing properties and device performances. Controlling a composition distribution in these films by a facile approach is thus highly desired. In this work, we report a solution epitaxy of PbZrxTi1−xO3 films with a continuous gradient of Zr concentration, realized by a competitive growth at ~220 °C. These intriguing films demonstrate a frequency-independent of dielectric permittivity below 100 kHz from room-temperature to 280 °C. In particular, the permittivity of the films can be largely regulated from 100 to 50 by slightly varying Zr compositional gradient. These results were revealed to arise from a built-in electric field within the films due to a coupling between the composition gradient and unidirectional spontaneous polarization. Our findings may pave a way to prepare compositionally-graded ferroelectric films by a solution approach, which is promising for practical dielectric, pyroelectric and photoelectric technical applications.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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