Sol-Gel Processing of PbZrO3 Thin Films

PbZrO₃ (PZ) thin films have been prepared by 2-methoxyethanol route from lead oxide or lead acetate and zirconium n-butoxide. The use of lead oxide as lead source and the seeding layer of TiO₂ on Pt/TiO₂/SiO₂/Si substrate facilitate the formation of the perovskite phase.     

在LaNiO3-Pt复合电极上Pb(Zr，Ti)O3铁电薄膜及其成分梯度薄膜的制备和研究

LaNiO₃(LNO) thin films were prepared on Pt(111) / Ti / SiO₂/ Si substrate by metal-organic decomposition (MOD) method. Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ ferroelectric thin films and their compositionally graded thin films were prepared on LNO / Pt / Ti / SiO₂ /Si substrates by Sol-gel method. The composition depth profile of a typical up-graded film was determined by using a combination of Auger Electron Spectroscopy (ASE) and Ar Ion Etching. The results confirm that the processing method produces graded composition changes. XRD analysis showed that the graded thin films possessed composite structure of tetragonal and rhombohedral. The dielectric constants of Up-graded and Down-graded thin films were higher than that of each thin film unit. The dielectric constants were 277 and 269 at 10 kHz, respectively. The loss tangents were 0.019 and 0.018 at 10 kHz, respectively. The Hysteresis loops showed that the remanent polarizations of graded thin films were higher than that of each thin film unit, but the coercive fields were smaller. The remanent polarizations of Up-graded and Down-graded thin films were 30.06 and 26.96 μC·cm^-2, respectively. The coercive fields were 54.14, 54.23 kV·cm^-1, respectively. The pyroelectric coefficients of Up-graded and Down-graded thin films were 4.62, 2.51×10^-8 C·cm^-2·K^-1 at room temperature, respectively. They were higher than that of each thin film unit.     

Textured PbTiO3, Pb(Ca)TiO3-Al2O3 Composite Films Prepared by Chemical Solution Deposition Method

Chemical solution deposition method (CSD) method was used to prepare PbTiO₃ (PT), Pb_{1– x} Ca _x TiO₃ (PCT), PbTiO₃-Al₂O₃ (PT-AL) and Pb_{1 – x} Ca _x TiO₃-Al₂O₃ (PCT-AL) thin films on amorphous (soda-lime glass, SiO₂ glass) substrates. The films were examined by XRD methods to describe the phase composition, cell parameters, type and degree of texture. In dependence on the molar ratio of Ti:Al, the different extent of crystallographic ordering was observed ranging from randomly oriented to strongly textured crystallites of PT. (100)uvw preferred orientation growth of PT grains was identified.     

Properties and Photoelectrocatalytic Behaviour of Sol-Gel Derived TiO2 Thin Films

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) thin films have been prepared on indium doped tin oxide (ITO) glass by sol-gel dip-coating method. Properties of the films were determined as a function of heat-treatment by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and photoelectrochemical tests. The films heat-treated at higher temperatures show better crystallinity and photoresponse. The microscopic structure on the film after heat-treatment is attributed to the incorporation of organic polymer into the precursor solution. The performance of the electrodes treated at different temperature on photoelectrocatalytic degradation of methyl orange was investigated. The effect of applied potential and the ability of the electrode to be repeatedly used in photoelectrocatalytic degradation were also evaluated.     

Preparation and Ferroelectric Properties of YMnO3 Thin Films with c-Axis Preferred Orientation by the Sol-Gel Method

Hexagonal YMnO₃ has a ferroelectric property with an optimal remanent polarization along the c-axis. The c-axis oriented YMnO₃ thin films with a small leakage current were prepared by the sol-gel dipping method. The c-axis orientation of the films was promoted by the addition of diethanolamine to the Mn precursor solution. A heat treatment with multiple steps led to a dense film structure with fine grains. The dense structure resulted in the decrease of the leakage current. Furthermore, when the films were heat-treated in a vacuum, the leakage current became considerably small and the ferroelectricity of the YMnO₃ thin films was observed even at room temperature.     

Preparation and Optical Properties of Gold-Dispersed BaTiO3, PGO (Pb5Ge3O11) and PLT (Pb1-1.5xLaxTiO3) Thin Films by Sol-Gel Process

Gold-dispersed BaTiO₃, PGO and PLT thin films, which will be used for third-order nonlinear optical devices, were prepared by sol-gel process with spin-coating using HAuCl₄4H₂O, Ba(CH₃COO)₂, Ti[O(CH₂)₃CH₃]₄, Pb(CH₃COO)₂3H₂O, Ge[O-n-C₄H₉]₄, La(CH₃COO)₃1.5 H₂O as starting materials. The thin films were heat-treated in air at temperatures ranging from 400 to 800 for 1 h. The nonlinear optical property of these thin films was measured by the degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) method using a frequency-doubled Nd: YAG laser with 20 ps pulse duration. Third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ of gold-dispersed BaTiO₃, PGO and PLT thin films with 5 vol% of gold were 1.410⁻⁶ esu, 3.510⁻⁷ esu respectively. The large χ⁽³⁾ may be ascribed to the high dielectric constant of the films.     

The Influence of Porosity on the Electromechanical and Pyroelectric Properties of Ca-Modified PbTiO3 Thin Films

The properties of Pb_1-xCa_xTiO₃ (x = 0–30) thin films for electromechanical and pyroelectric applications can be further improved if porous, low-dielectric constant layers are being used. The electric field dependent strain, piezoelectric coefficient, pyroelectric coefficient and the pyroelectric figure of merit were evaluated as a function of the Ca-content and relative density of the thin films. The heating-rate during the final anneal was observed to be the controlling parameter for the evolution of either dense or porous microstructures. Both 2-methoxyethanol and 1,3-propanediol based solution precursors were used for spin-coating platinized Si₃N₄/SiO₂/Si wafers. Microstructure-property relationships and electrical properties concerning the domain mobility were examined.     

Preparation and Characterization of Bismuth Doped TiO2 Thin Films

A series of Bismuth-doped titanium oxide (Bi-doped TiO₂) thin films on glass substrates have been prepared by sol-gel dip coating process. The prepared catalysts were characterized by XRD and XPS. The photocatlytic activity of the thin film catalysts was evaluated through the photodegradation of aqueous methyl orange under UV illumination. The experiments demonstrated that the Bi-doped TiO₂ prepared was anatase phase. The doped bismuth was in the 3⁺ oxidation state. The presence of Bi significantly enhanced the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ films. At calcination temperature of 500°C, with doping concentration of 2 wt %, Bi-doped TiO₂ thin film showed the highest photocatalyic activity.     

Preparation and Characterization of (Ba,Ca)(Ti,Zr)O3 Thin Films Through Sol-Gel Processing

(Ba_0.92,Ca_0.08)(Ti_0.92,Zr_0.08)O₃ thin films were prepared from Ba-Ti and Ca-Zr precursors by sol-gel processing. Polymerizable solutions containing Ba-Ti and Ca-Zr, respectively, were newly synthesized. Decomposition of the starting compounds and crystallization behavior of the film were examined by using TG/DTA and XRD. Microstructure of thin films was observed by using SEM. Polycrystalline (Ba_0.92,Ca_0.08)(Ti_0.92, Zr_0.08)O₃ films obtained by firing at 800°C were dense with fine grains. The thin films showed a dielectric constant of 1200 and dielectric loss of 0.5%.     

LaNiO3衬底上Pb(ZrxTi1－x)O3铁电薄膜及梯度薄膜的制备和研究

报道了在镍酸镧 (LaNiO₃, 简称LNO)衬底上锆钛酸铅 [Pb(Zr_xTi_1－x)O₃, 简称PZT]铁电薄膜及其成分梯度薄膜的结构、介电性能、铁电性能以及热释电性能. 首先通过金属有机化合物热分解(MOD)法在Si(100)基片上制备出LaNiO₃, 薄膜, 再通过溶胶-凝胶(sol-gel)法, 在LNO/Si(100)衬底上制备出Pb(Zr_0.80Ti_0.20)O₃, [PZT(80/20)]和Pb(Zr_0.20Ti_0.80)O₃, [PZT(20/80)]铁电薄膜及其成分梯度薄膜. 经俄歇微探针能谱仪(AES)对制备的梯度薄膜进行了成分深度分析, 结果证实成分梯度的存在. 经XRD分析表明, 制备的梯度薄膜为四方结构和三方结构的复合结构, 但其晶面存在一定的结构畸变. 经介电频谱测试表明, 梯度薄膜的介电常数比每个单元的介电常数要大, 但介电损耗相近. 在10 kHz下, 梯度薄膜的介电常数和介电损耗分别为317和0.057. 经电滞回线的测试表明, 梯度薄膜的剩余极化强度比每个单元都大, 而矫顽场却明显较小. 梯度薄膜的剩余极化强度和矫顽场分别为29.96 μC•cm^-2 和54.12 kV•cm^－1. 经热释电性能测试表明, 室温下梯度薄膜的热释电系数为5.54×10-8 C•cm^－2•K^－1, 高于每个单元的热释电系数.     

Neo-Pentoxide Precursor Synthesis,Solution Preparation,and Electronic Properties of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 Thin Films Derived from a Solution Route

We have recently isolated the neo-pentoxide (HOCH₂CMe₃, ONp) derivatives of Ba, Sr, and Ti as Ba₄(ONp)₈(HONp)₆(py)₂, Sr₅(O)(ONp)₈(Solv)₅ (Solv = solvent), and Ti₂(ONp)₈, respectively. The combination of these precursors were found to be readily soluble in a wide range of solvents and thus were excellent candidates for preparation of barium strontium titanate ((Ba,Sr)TiO₃ or BST) thin films using spin-cast deposition techniques. The highest quality BST films for this system were generated from ternary mixtures dissolved in either pyridine or pyridine/toluene. By in situ VT-GIXRD analysis it was determined that the perovskite phase of BST was readily formed at 650°C. The electronic properties of films crystallized at 700°C indicated that the thin films (300 nm) possessed a dielectric constant of 120 (tan = 0.03) with a tunability of 29% at ±10 V. 300 nm films (700°C) which had been generated from a standard BST solution modified with a novel tridentate ligand, had a higher dielectric constant of 180 and a tunability of 35% at ±10 V. The collective characteristics of these precursors offer an attractive alternative to the more complex, less stable sol-gel precursors currently in use.     

Synthesis and Properties of Highly Conductive Thin Films as Buffer Layer from Sol-Gel Process

We prepared epitaxial growth SrRuO₃ thin film on LaAlO₃ (001) (LAO) single crystal substrate and highly oriented BaTiO₃ ferroelectric thin film on the epitaxial SrRuO₃ thin film. A homogeneous precursor solution for preparing SrRuO₃ thin film was prepared with Sr(O—i—C₃H₇)₂ and Ru(NO)(NO₃)₃ as starting materials, and 2-methoxy ethanol as solvents. The as-coated thin films were heat treated at temperatures from 723 to 1273 K for 1 h in air. SrRuO₃ grew epitaxially on LAO(001) substrate, which were confirmed by XRD theta-2theta method and XRD pole figure analysis. The crystallographic relationship of the film and substrate was SrRuO₃(001) parallel to LAO(001) and SrRuO₃[110] parallel to LAO[100]. A homogeneous precursor solution for preparing BaTiO₃ thin film was prepared with Ti[O—n—(CH₂)₃CH₃]₄ and Ba(OCOCH₃)₂ as starting materials, and acetic acid, 2-methoxy ethanol. SrRuO₃ coated LAO substrates were coated by spin-coating method with the coating solution. The as-coated thin films were heat treated at temperatures from 973 to 1173 K in air. It was confirmed that the thin films were growing orientated for c-axis by measurement of XRD theta-2theta method.     

Chemical Solution Deposition of Barium Titanate Thin Films with Ethylene Glycol as Solvent for Barium Acetate

Chemical solution deposition (CSD) of BaTiO₃ (BT) or BT-based thin films relies on using a carboxylic acid and alcohol as the solvents for alkaline-earth carboxylate and transition-metal alkoxide, respectively; however, the esterification reaction of the solvents may lead to in-situ water formation and precipitation. To avoid such an uncontrolled reaction, we developed a route in which ethylene glycol (EG) is used as the solvent for Ba-acetate. The EG-based BT coating solutions are stable for at least a few months. The thermal decomposition of the BT xerogel obtained by drying the EG-based solutions depends on the choice of the solvent for the Ti-alkoxide as well: in the case of EG and 2-methoxyethanol solvents carbon residues are removed at only about 1100 °C, while in the case of ethanol it is concluded at about 700 °C. About 100 nm thick BT films derived from the EG-ethanol solution deposited on platinized silicon reveal dense, crack-free columnar microstructure. They exhibit local ferro- and piezoelectric properties. The macroscopic polarization-electric field loops were obtained up to a quite high electric field of about 2.4 MV/cm. The EG-ethanol based CSD route is a viable alternative to the established acetic acid–alcohol route for BT and BT-based films.     

Optical and Electrical Properties of Ferroelectric SBN Thin Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Process

Strontium barium niobate thin films were prepared by sol-gel method on various substrates using an improved process, two-step heating process. The two-step heating process applies an additive heat-treatment before crystallization for enhancement of the densification and the nucleation of films. Also, highly c-axis oriented SBN thin films with various compositions were obtained on MgO(100) and Pt(100)/MgO(100) substrates. Their optical and electrical properties such as optical propagation loss, refractive index, P-E hysteresis, and dielectric constant, were characterized as a function of the film composition.     

Tuning Structural Colors of TiO2 Thin Films Using an Electrochemical Process

TiO₂ films exhibiting structural colors were successfully prepared using one-step electrochemical oxidation. Results of theoretical analyses and digital simulations revealed that the structural color of a TiO₂ thin film could be regulated by adjusting oxidation voltage and oxidation time with different oxidation voltages leading to changes in structural color annulus number. At a low oxidation voltage, each thin film exhibited a single structural color, while thin films with different structural colors were obtained by varying the oxidation time. By contrast, at a higher oxidation voltage, each film exhibited iridescent and circular structural color patterns associated with symmetrical decreases in surface oxidation current density along radial lines emanating from the film center to its outer edges. TiO₂ films exhibiting iridescent structural colorations have broad application prospects in industrial fields related to photocatalysis and photovoltaic cells.     

Comparative Solution Synthesis of Mn Doped (Na,K)NbO3 Thin Films

(K_0.5Na_0.5)NbO₃ (KNN) is a promising lead-free alternative for ferroelectric thin films such as Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃. One main drawback is its high leakage current density at high electric fields, which has been previously linked to alkali non-stoichiometry. This paper compares three acetate-based chemical solution synthesis and deposition methods for 0.5 mol % Mn-doped KNN film fabrication, using lower crystallization temperature processes in comparison to the sintering temperatures necessary for fabrication of KNN ceramics. This paper shows the crucial role of the A site homogenization step during solution synthesis in preserving alkali chemical homogeneity of Mn doped KNN films. Chemically homogeneous films show a uniform grain size of 80 nm and a leakage current density under 2.8×10⁻⁸ A cm⁻² up to electric fields as high as 600 kV cm⁻¹, which is the highest breakdown strength reported for KNN thin films. Solution synthesis involving two-step pyrolysis resulted in films with dense, columnar microstructures, which are interesting for orientation control and enhancement of piezoelectric properties. This study reports detailed solution synthesis and deposition processes with good dielectric, ferroelectric and breakdown field properties. An optimized fabrication method that should couple low leakage current density with dense and oriented microstructures is proposed.     

Dielectric,Ferroelectric Properties of KTa0.65Nb0.35O3 Thin Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Process on Pt(111)/Ti/MgO(100) Substrates

KTa_0.65Nb_0.35O₃(KTN) thin films were prepared by sol-gel process on Pt(111)/Ti/MgO(100) substrates from KOAc, Ta(OC₂H₅)₅ and Nb(OC₂H₅)₅ in ethanol. The KTN thin films had a prefferred (100) orientation on Pt(111)/Ti/MgO(100) substrates and contained a small amount of pyrochlore structure phase. The 0.8-m-thick KTN film showed a room-temperature relative permittivity of 2160 and a room-temperature dielectric loss of 0.0098 at 1.0 kHz. The maximum relative permittivity of the KTN film was 4232 at 294 K and 1.0 kHz. The remanent polarization and coercive field of the KTN film were 2.8 C/cm² and 5.0 kV/cm, respectively, at 263 K.     

Photocatalytic Activity and Characterization of the Sol-Gel Derived Pb-Doped TiO2 Thin Films

Photocatalytically active Pb-doped TiO₂ thin films were prepared on a soda-lime glass substrate by sol-gel dip-coating technique using TiO₂ sols containing lead(II) nitrate. The thin films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV-VIS spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A shift of the UV-VIS absorption towards longer wavelengths was observed, which indicated a decrease in the band-gap of TiO₂ upon Pb doping. XRD results showed both pure and Pb-doped TiO₂ thin films were polycrystalline, anatase type, and oriented predominantly to the (101) plane. A slight shift in the d-spacing for the Pb-doped film indicated the incorporation of Pb into the TiO₂ lattice to form Pb _x Ti_1–x O₂ solid solution. AFM results showed Pb-doped TiO₂ thin films were composed of larger TiO₂ particles and had rougher surface, compared with un-doped TiO₂ thin films. XPS results showed that except for the enrichment of Pb near the surface, Pb exists in the forms of Pb _x Ti_1–x O₂ and PbO. Dimethyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate (DDVP) was efficiently degraded in the presence of the Pb-doped TiO₂ thin films by exposing the insecticide solution to sunlight. The mechanism of photocatalytic activity enhancement of the Pb-doped TiO₂ thin films was discussed.     

Crystallization and Microstructure of (Sm, Pb)TiO3 Thin Films Prepared from Sol-Gel Synthesized Solutions

A sol-gel route is developed for the synthesis of samarium modified lead titanate precursor solutions. The solutions are used for the deposition of thin films. After thermal treatment of the films, two crystalline phases are observed by X-ray diffraction analysis: an undesirable pyrochlore phase and a ferroelectric perovskite. These two phases are clearly distinguished in the film microstructure, showing a fined grained fraction of pyrochlore anda-axis oriented rosette grains of perovskite. The development of these phases as well as the evolution of the perovskite/pyrochlore ratio in the films is related to the chemistry of the synthesized solutions and the thermal treatment used for crystallization.     

Structure and Optical Properties of 0.1BiFeO3-0.9SrBi2Nb2O9 Thin Films Using a Modified Sol-Gel Technique

Fe-doped SrBi₂Nb₂O₉ precursor solution was synthesized using bismuth nitrate Bi(NO₃)₃·5H₂O, strontium nitrate Sr(NO₃)₂, iron nitrate Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O, and niobium ethoxide Nb(OC₂H₅)₅ as starting materials, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (C₃H₈O₂) as the solvent. 0.1BiFeO₃-0.9SrBi₂Nb₂O₉ thin films were prepared on fused quartz substrates using sol-gel processing. The surface morphology and crystal structure and optical properties of the thin films were investigated. The thin film annealing at 400°C were found to be amorphous, and the thin films crystallize to a perovskite structure after a post-deposition annealing at 600°C for 1 h in air. The grain of thin film was evenly distributed. The thin films exhibit the designed optical transmission, while the optical transition is indirect in nature. Their optical band gap is about 2.5 eV.