An overview of the state of art in ferroelectric thin films is presented. First, we review applications: microsystems' applications, applications in high frequency electronics, and memories based on ferroelectric materials. The second section deals with materials, structure (domains, in particular), and size effects. Properties of thin films that are important for applications are then addressed: polarization reversal and properties related to the reliability of ferroelectric memories, piezoelectric nonlinearity of ferroelectric films which is relevant to microsystems' applications, and permittivity and loss in ferroelectric films-important in all applications and essential in high frequency devices. In the context of properties we also discuss nanoscale probing of ferroelectrics. Finally, we comment on two important emerging topics: multiferroic materials and ferroelectric one-dimensional nanostructures. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

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Ferroelectric thin films: Review of materials, properties, and applications

A review of the properties of ferroelectric materials that are relevant to microwave tunable devices is presented: we discuss the theory of dielectric response of tunable bulk materials and thin films; the experimental results from the literature and from own work are reviewed; the correspondence between the theoretical results and the measured properties of tunable materials is critically analyzed; nominally pure, real (defected), and composite bulk materials and thin films are addressed. In addition, techniques for characterization of tunable ferroelectrics and applications of these materials are briefly presented.

Ferroelectric materials for microwave tunable applications

The silicon-based microelectronics industry is rapidly approaching a point where device fabrication can no longer be simply scaled to progressively smaller sizes. Technological decisions must now be made that will substantially alter the directions along which silicon devices continue to develop. One such challenge is the need for higher permittivity dielectrics to replace silicon dioxide, the properties of which have hitherto been instrumental to the industry's success. Considerable efforts have already been made to develop replacement dielectrics for dynamic random-access memories. These developments serve to illustrate the magnitude of the now urgent problem of identifying alternatives to silicon dioxide for the gate dielectric in logic devices, such as the ubiquitous field-effect transistor.

Alternative dielectrics to silicon dioxide for memory and logic devices

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

▪ Abstract This paper reviews the literature on size effects in ferroelectric materials, with an emphasis on thin film perovskite ferroelectrics. The roles of boundary conditions, defect chemistry, electrode interfaces, surface layers, and microstructure in controlling the measured properties of ferroelectric films, as well as the observed deviation from bulk properties are discussed. Examples of the manifestation of size effects in terms of the low and high field dielectric properties, the piezoelectric effect, and the leakage behavior of films are given.

The Properties of Ferroelectric Films at Small Dimensions

We have investigated the dielectric response of a series of {100} fiber-textured (BaxSr1−x)Ti1+yO3+z samples deposited by liquid-source metalorganic chemical vapor deposition onto Pt/SiO2/Si, as a function of the two most commonly varied microstructural parameters: film thickness and Ti nonstoichiometry y. We find that the overall behavior of these samples is adequately described by mean-field, Landau–Ginzburg–Devonshire theory as for bulk ferroelectrics. However, we quantify the impact of three separable factors for these films that greatly alter the dielectric susceptibility as a function of temperature, compared to that found for bulk ceramic samples at the same Ba/Sr ratio of 70/30: (i) Ti nonstoichiometry; (ii) the apparent interface effect; and (iii) the plane equibiaxial stress state resulting from thermal expansion mismatch strains. When these factors are properly taken into consideration, we show that these fine grained thin films behave in a manner entirely consistent with expectations based on ...

Ferroelectricity in thin films: The dielectric response of fiber-textured (BaxSr1−x)Ti1+yO3+z thin films grown by chemical vapor deposition

The resistance degradation behavior of Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 (BST) and SrTiO3 (ST) thin films is compared to the degradation behavior of titanate single crystals and ceramics with respect to the dependence on parameters such as temperature, thickness of the sample, applied voltage, acceptor dopant concentration and electrode material. Different model considerations to explain the resistance degradation in titanate thin films are discussed.

Resistance degradation behavior of Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 thin films compared to mechanisms found in titanate ceramics and single crystals

We have investigated the intrinsic resistance degradation behavior of fiber-textured MOCVD (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin films appropriate for use in advanced DRAMs and integrated decoupling capacitors, as a function of applied voltage polarity, thickness, temperature, and dc bias/field. The results suggest that there is a significant stoichiometry effect on the measured resistance degradation lifetimes. The measured degradation lifetime increases as the Ti content is increased from 51.0 to 52.0 at%Ti, and then decreases with higher at%Ti. Predicted resistance degradation lifetimes obtained from both temperature and voltage extrapolations to DRAM operating conditions of 85°C and 1.6 V exceed the current benchmark of 10 years for all of the films studied.

An Important Failure Mechanism in MOCVD (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin Films: Resistance Degradation

The strain state and its coupling to dielectric behavior have been investigated for {100} BST thin films deposited on Pt/SiO/sub 2//Si at 640/spl deg/C. It is estimated from X-ray diffraction that the in-plane biaxial strain is approximately 0.7%. We postulate that this is of sufficient magnitude to confine any spontaneous polarization to the plane of the film. The thickness-corrected dielectric behavior perpendicular to the substrate for these samples shows evidence of coupling to such an in-plane phase transition at approximately 390 K, as manifested by deviation from Curie-Weiss-like behavior at this temperature.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/6367/17035/00786629.pdf

S. E. Lash

Papers

Ferroelectricity in thin films: The dielectric response of fiber-textured (BaxSr1−x)Ti1+yO3+z thin films grown by chemical vapor deposition

Resistance degradation behavior of Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 thin films compared to mechanisms found in titanate ceramics and single crystals

An Important Failure Mechanism in MOCVD (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin Films: Resistance Degradation

The influence of strain on the dielectric behavior of (Ba/sub x/Sr/sub 1-x/)Ti/sub 1+y/O/sub 3+z/ thin films grown by LS-MOCVD on Pt/SiO/sub 2//Si