Titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) nanocrystals are prepared by a hydrolysis process of tetrabutyl titanate. Nanocrystal samples with various sizes of 6.8-27.9 nm are obtained after annealing from 100 to 650 °C. The crystal structures and the average particle sizes are examined using x-ray diffraction. Raman scattering was employed to investigate the evolution of the anatase phase in the nanocrystals during annealing. Phonon confinement and non-stoichiometry effects are responsible for the blueshift and broadening of the lowest-frequency Eg Raman mode. The influence of interfacial vibrations on the Raman linewidth is also discussed.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/33/8/305/pdf

Raman scattering study on anatase TiO2 nanocrystals

Two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, which possess atomic or molecular thickness and infinite planar lengths, are regarded as the thinnest functional nanomaterials. The recent development of methods for manipulating graphene (carbon nanosheet) has provided new possibilities and applications for 2D systems; many amazing functionalities such as high electron mobility and quantum Hall effects have been discovered. However, graphene is a conductor, and electronic technology also requires insulators, which are essential for many devices such as memories, capacitors, and gate dielectrics. Along with graphene, inorganic nanosheets have thus increasingly attracted fundamental research interest because they have the potential to be used as dielectric alternatives in next-generation nanoelectronics. Here, we review the progress made in the properties of dielectric nanosheets, highlighting emerging functionalities in electronic applications. We also present a perspective on the advantages offered by this class of materials for future nanoelectronics.

Two‐Dimensional Dielectric Nanosheets: Novel Nanoelectronics From Nanocrystal Building Blocks

Due to the nature of domains, ferroics, including ferromagnetic, ferroelectric, and ferroelastic materials, exhibit hysteresis phenomena with respect to external driving fields (magnetic field, electric field, or stress). In principle, every ferroic material has its own hysteresis loop, like a fingerprint, which contains information related to its properties and structures. For ferroelectrics, many characteristic parameters, such as coercive field, spontaneous, and remnant polarizations can be directly extracted from the hysteresis loops. Furthermore, many impact factors, including the effect of materials (grain size and grain boundary, phase and phase boundary, doping, anisotropy, thickness), aging (with and without poling), and measurement conditions (applied field amplitude, fatigue, frequency, temperature, stress), can affect the hysteretic behaviors of the ferroelectrics. In this feature article, we will first give the background of the ferroic materials and multiferroics, with an emphasis on ferroelectrics. Then it is followed by an introduction of the characterizing techniques for the loops, including the polarization–electric field loops and strain–electric field curves. A caution is made to avoid misinterpretation of the loops due to the existence of conductivity. Based on their morphologic features, the hysteresis loops are categorized to four groups and the corresponding material usages are introduced. The impact factors on the hysteresis loops are discussed based on recent developments in ferroelectric and related materials. It is suggested that decoding the fingerprint of loops in ferroelectrics is feasible and the comprehension of the material properties and structures through the hysteresis loops is established.

Decoding the Fingerprint of Ferroelectric Loops: Comprehension of the Material Properties and Structures

The authors discuss the effect of the sample particle size on the crystal structure and the Curie temperature of BaTiO/sub 3/ powder investigated in the particle size range 0.1 to 1.0 {mu}m. The transformation from tetragonal to cubic symmetry occurs at a critical particle size of 0.12 {mu}m at room temperature, and the Curie temperature drops below room temperature at the critical particle size.

Dependence of the Crystal Structure on Particle Size in Barium Titanate

Size dependence of nanostructures: Impact of bond order deficiency

We report a size effect on the ferroelectric phase transition in ${\mathrm{PbTiO}}_{3}$ ultrafine particles. The samples were synthesized by an alkoxide method. The size was determined by x-ray analysis with the aid of Scherrer's equation. When the particle size is less than 50 nm, the transition temperature ${T}_{c}$, determined by Raman scattering, decreases from its bulk value (500 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) as the size decreases. The temperature ${T}_{c}$ is described by an empirical expression, ${T}_{c}$=500-588.5/(D-12.6) (\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C), where D is the average particle size (nm).

Kazutoshi Yoshikawa

Papers

Size effect on the ferroelectric phase transition in PbTiO3 ultrafine particles.