Ferroelectric materials have remained one of the major focal points of condensed matter physics and materials science for over 50 years. In the last 20 years, the development of voltage-modulated scanning probe microscopy techniques, exemplified by Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and associated time- and voltage spectroscopies, opened a pathway to explore these materials on a single-digit nanometer level. Consequently, domain structures and walls and polarization dynamics can now be imaged in real space. More generally, PFM has allowed studying electromechanical coupling in a broad variety of materials ranging from ionics to biological systems. It can also be anticipated that the recent Nobel prize [“The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016,” http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/2016/ (Nobel Media, 2016)] in molecular electromechanical machines will result in rapid growth in interest in PFM as a method to probe their behavior on single device and device assembly levels. However, the br...

Ferroelectric or non-ferroelectric: Why so many materials exhibit "ferroelectricity" on the nanoscale

A composite interposer for providing power and signal connections between an integrated circuit chip or chips and a substrate. The interposer includes a signal core formed from a conductive power/ground plane positioned between two dielectric layers. A method for fabricating a composite interposer comprising disposing a silicon layer on a substrate, and selectively etching the silicon layer down to the substrate to develop silicon openings with a silicon profile, and to expose part of the substrate. Vias are formed through the exposed part of the substrate. The method additionally includes filling the vias and the silicon openings with a filler material (e.g., a high-aspect-ratio-capable photodefinable epoxy polymer) to form filled silicon openings and filled vias, forming first openings through the filled silicon openings and through the filled vias, forming second opening through filler material to expose semiconductor devices on the silicon layer, and interconnecting electrically, through the first openings and through the second openings, the exposed semiconductor devices with pads disposed against a bottom of the substrate.

Composite interposer and method for producing a composite interposer

https://cyberleninka.org/article/n/1290769.pdf

Strain-based scanning probe microscopies for functional materials, biological structures, and electrochemical systems

Using a combination of piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and phase-field modeling, we demonstrate ubiquitous formation of center-type and possible ferroelectric closure domain arrangements during polarization switching near the ferroelastic domain walls in (100) oriented rhombohedral BiFeO(3). The formation of these topological defects is determined from the vertical and lateral PFM data and confirmed from the reversible changes in surface topography. These observations provide insight into the mechanisms of tip-induced ferroelastic domain control and suggest that formation of topological defect states under the action of local defect- and tip-induced fields is much more common than previously believed.

/pdf/exploring-topological-defects-in-epitaxial-bifeo3-thin-films-20uv71ozw5.pdf

Exploring topological defects in epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films.

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques have opened the door to nanoscience and nanotechnology by enabling imaging and manipulation of the structure and functionality of matter at nanometer and atomic scales. Here, we analyze the scientific discovery process in SPM by following the information flow from the tip–surface junction, to knowledge adoption by the wider scientific community. We further discuss the challenges and opportunities offered by merging SPM with advanced data mining, visual analytics, and knowledge discovery technologies.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsnano.6b04212

Big, Deep, and Smart Data in Scanning Probe Microscopy

Collective dynamics in nanostructured polycrystalline ferroelectric thin films using local time-resolved measurements and switching spectroscopy

Electronic assemblies comprising a sinterable composition are disclosed. The composition sinters reactively and/or non-reactively during the lamination cure cycle of the assembly. The composition generally comprises (i) at least one high melting particulate phase material, (ii) at least one low melting material, and (iii) an organic portion comprising a resin and a cross-linking agent.

Multilayer electronic assembly utilizing a sinterable composition and related method of forming

Ferroelectric domain switching within individual nanoscale grains of a 100 nm thick polycrystalline PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 thin film has been shown to depend on the relative crystallographic orientation of the adjacent grains. Using Piezoresponse Force Microscopy, the significance of local microstructure on the domain switching was demonstrated. Different regions within grains show different coercive fields under the same external electric field. In addition, neighboring grains also show a collective switching pattern, facilitating/suppressing switching on both sides of the grain boundaries compared to the center of the grain. These experimental observations were supported by numerical simulation demonstrating that changing the crystallographic orientation of a grain affects the switching loop of the neighboring grains. Based on both experimental and numerical simulation, the conclusion can be made that microstructural modulation of the local electric and stress field can significantly affect individual grain switching in polycrystalline thin films.

Correlated inter-grain switching in polycrystalline ferroelectric thin films

Edge and finite size effects in polycrystalline ferroelectrics

A multilayer wiring board may be manufactured by a process which uses a sinterable conductive composition to fill via holes. The sinterable composition sinters reactively and/or non-reactively during the lamination cure cycle of the wiring board. Additional non-conductive components of the composition are described that may be included to offer structural, fluxing and other benefits.

Sarah Leach

Papers

Collective dynamics in nanostructured polycrystalline ferroelectric thin films using local time-resolved measurements and switching spectroscopy

Multilayer electronic assembly utilizing a sinterable composition and related method of forming

Correlated inter-grain switching in polycrystalline ferroelectric thin films

Edge and finite size effects in polycrystalline ferroelectrics

Metallurgically bonded polymer vias