Chemical solution processing and characterization of Ba(Zr,Ti)O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/LaNiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> layered thin films

Ba(Zr,Ti)O₃/LaNiO₃ layered thin films have been synthesized by chemical solution deposition (CSD) using metal-organic precursor solutions. Ba(Zr,Ti)O₃ thin films with smooth surface morphology and excellent dielectric properties were prepared on Pt/TiO _x /SiO₂/Si substrates by controlling the Zr/Ti ratios in Ba(Zr,Ti)O₃. Chemically derived LaNiO₃ thin films crystallized into the perovskite single phase and their conductivity was sufficiently high as a thin-film electrode. Ba(Zr,Ti)O₃/LaNiO₃ layered thin films of single phase perovskite were fabricated on SiO₂/Si and fused silica substrates. The dielectric constant of a Ba(Zr_0.2Ti_0.8)O₃ thin film prepared at 700°C on a LaNiO₃/fused silica substrate was found to be approximately 830 with a dielectric loss of 5% at 1 kHz and room temperature. Although the Ba(Zr_0.2Ti_0.8)O₃ thin film on the LaNiO₃/fused silica substrate showed a smaller dielectric constant than the Ba(Zr_0.2Ti_0.8)O₃ thin film on Pt/TiO _x /SiO₂/Si, small temperature dependence of dielectric constant was achieved over a wide temperature range. Furthermore, the fabrication of the Ba(Zr,Ti)O₃/LaNiO₃ films in alternate thin layers similar to a multilayer capacitor structure was performed by the same solution deposition process.     

Recent advances in characterization of CaCu3Ti4O12 thin films by spectroscopic ellipsometric metrology

CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) thin films were successfully grown on LaAlO3(100) and Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si(100) substrates by a novel MOCVD approach. Epitaxial CCTO(001) thin films have been obtained on LaAlO3(100) substrates, while polycrystalline CCTO films have been grown on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si(100) substrates. Surface morphology and grain size of the different nanostructured deposited films were examined by AFM, and spectroscopic ellipsometry has been used to investigate the electronic part of the dielectric constant (epsilon2). Looking at the epsilon2 curves, it can be seen that by increasing the film structural order, a greater dielectric response has been obtained. The measured dielectric properties accounted for the ratio between grain volumes and grain boundary areas, which is very different in the different structured films.     

Effects of acetoin as chelating agent on the preparation of SrBi<Subscript>2</Subscript>Ta<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>9</Subscript> thin films from non-hydrolyzing precursors

Ferroelectric thin films of strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT) have been fabricated by a chemical solution deposition technique using non-hydrolyzing precursors. Strontium acetate, bismuth nitrate and tantalum ethoxide were used as precursor materials, with methanol and glacial acetic as solvents. We investigate the effects of the precursor chemistry, by the selection of the chelating agent, on the elimination of residual organic compounds, thermal evolution of phase formation, and microstructure evolution of derived films. We found that the utilization of alkanolamines as chelating agent produce the segregation of metallic bismuth in as-prepared powders. On the other hand, acetoin, one of the hydroxyketones, showed the elimination of residual organics at low temperature, an earlier onset of crystallization, and no segregation of secondary phases during the whole crystallization process. A comparative investigation of the surface microstructure, grain size distribution, crystallinity, and degree of crystal orientation of films fabricated with the different chelating agents is presented. The dielectric and ferroelectric properties of films prepared with acetoin are investigated.     

Structural evolution of nanostructured barium titanate thin film sol–gel derived

Ferroelectric nanostructured barium titanate (BT) thin films derived by a modified sol–gel process were formed by a deep coating method on Si (100) substrate. In this work was investigated the influence of different types and amounts of water (free water directly added in process and crystalline water from barium precursors) and of different barium precursors (hydroxide and acetate) on the gel-structure evolution and the barium titanate thin film crystallization. The IR-spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis were used for sample characterization. Experimental results show that crystalline water from barium hydroxide octahydrate stabilizes the cubic phase of barium titanate. Barium titanate crystallizes in the tetragonal form in thin films when sols were prepared with free water and Ba-acetate or Ba-hydroxide monohydrate as precursors. The type of Ba-precursor used in preparation of sols effects the rate of crystallization of the BT in thin films, making it slower in the case when as precursor was used Ba-acetate than Ba-hydroxides. The prepared BT-thin films demonstrated good adhesion towards substrate and were smooth and uniform.     

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.     

甲胺铅碘前驱体薄膜放置过程中物质结构演变及对后续钙钛矿薄膜的影响

系统研究了甲胺铅碘(MAPbI_3)前驱体薄膜在室温大气中放置过程的物质结构变化过程,发现甲胺铅碘前驱体进一步生成了更多的MAPbI_3钙钛矿,大约220 min后MAPbI_3钙钛矿不再增加而且仍有前驱体。此外还分析了这种结构演变对后续钙钛矿薄膜热退火结果的影响,发现放置后的甲胺铅碘前驱体薄膜退火过程中的X射线衍射强度和紫外-可见吸收均比新制备的薄膜的低,而且通过原子力表面形貌图的对比发现,放置后的薄膜热退火后的薄膜晶体尺寸远小于新制备的甲胺铅碘前驱体薄膜热退火后的晶体尺寸,放置后的薄膜晶体尺寸约为0.2μm,新制备的薄膜晶体尺寸约为1.1μm。主要原因在于:甲胺铅碘前驱体薄膜由于在室温大气中放置过程中多生成了部分甲胺铅碘(MAPbI_3),因此晶体成核数量较多,晶粒数量增加,晶体存在较多缺陷,薄膜结晶度低,所以退火时X射线衍射强度和光谱强度较低,同时晶粒尺寸变小。研究为探讨甲胺铅碘钙钛矿生成机理提供了新的思路和方向,属于甲胺铅碘钙钛矿薄膜性质的基础性研究,对实际生产和工业应用有一定指导意义。     

Ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) PVDF films derived from the solutions with retainable water and controlled water loss

To obtain β‐phase dominant ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) homopolymer thin films on aluminum‐coated silicon substrates, the retaining and loss of water were manipulated by introducing several hydrated and hygroscopic chemicals in the precursor solutions, including aluminum nitrate nonahydrate, aluminum chloride hexahydrate, chromium nitrate nonahydrate, tetra‐n‐butylammonium chloride, and one hygroscopic but nonhydrated chemical, ammonium acetate. Their ability of retaining water during the thermal annealing of the films and the relationship between water retaining and the effects on promoting the β phase were investigated. The results showed an ideal scenario was that the added hydrated salts should be able to retain substantial amount of water during the PVDF crystallization to effectively promote the β phase but completely dehydrate or decompose at the further elevated annealing temperature in order to obtain β‐phase dominant PVDF film without substantially incorporating water and deteriorating the electrical properties. As one of the hydrated chemicals well satisfying the above requirements, Al(NO₃)₃·9H₂O, of different amounts was introduced to the PVDF precursor solutions and the optimal resulting β‐phase dominant ferroelectric PVDF thin films exhibited smooth morphology, low dielectric loss, high remnant polarization of 89 mC/m², and large effective piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ of ?14.5 pm/V (under the clamping of the substrate). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 2410–2418, 2009     

聚羟基丁酸酯共聚物超薄膜中向日葵晶形成的原子力显微镜观察

低维数下的高分子(如在二维薄膜或一维管道及孔洞中)的各种行为由于更加触及高分子的动力学、热力学本质而逐渐成为高分子科学研究的热点之一．实验表明,薄膜中聚合物的玻璃化转变温度、结晶动力学及形貌等与本体有很大的偏离．我们先前的研究结果表明,在基板的作用下,共混物薄膜的相形态会发生逆转;     

Study of the crystallization pathway of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 thin films obtained by chemical solution deposition

Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃ (NBT) thin films were fabricated by a chemical solution deposition (CSD) method. A route involving the reaction between sodium and bismuth acetates and titanium n-butoxide was used to synthesise the different precursor solutions. The thermal decomposition and crystallization pathways of different modified precursors have been studied by thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction techniques. As a consequence of the modification of the precursor solutions and their different thermal behaviour, the nucleation of the stable perovskite phase happens at different temperatures depending on each case but is found to be at temperatures as low as 500 °C. For the thin film processing, the drying and pyrolysis temperatures were chosen according to the thermogravimetric data to minimize the strain resulting from the shrinkage of the film during the elimination of solvents and organic ligands. The crystallization process was studied and the experimental results are discussed in terms of structural, microstructural and electrical features investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy in tapping and piezo-force modes and X-ray diffraction.     

Double/single phase segregation and vertical stratification induced by crystallization in all‐crystalline tri/diblock copolymers and homopolymer blends of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) and poly(ethylene glycol)

Distinct stratified and non‐stratified morphologies were developed in poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐based homopolymer blends and diblock and triblock copolymer systems. By applying X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, only a double‐percolation mechanism including assembling of P3HT chains into the nanofibers in solution aging process with a marginal solvent like p‐xylene as well as crystallization of PEG phase in the cast thin films resulted in vertical stratification and networked fibrils. In cast thin films whose PEG phase, due to low molecular weight or being constrained between two rigid P3HT blocks in triblock copolymers was not crystallized, a non‐stratified discrete fibrillar morphology was acquired. Crystallization of PEGs in the thin films mainly participated in networking and expelling pre‐organized P3HT fibrils to the film surface. By performing the solution aging step in a good solvent such as o‐dichlorobenzene, the P3HTs remained in a coily‐like conformation, and casting the corresponding thin films reflected the non‐stratified discrete granular and featureless morphologies. Assembling the P3HT chains in the presence of PEG phase in cast films at most led to the low‐crystalline granules instead of highly crystalline nanofibrils. No significant crystallization in either homopolymer blends or block copolymer systems conduced to a featureless morphology with homogeneous distribution of existed materials. The surface morphology and ordering in various morphologies were studied employing atomic force microscopy, grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction, and ultraviolet–visible analyses. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

NaGdF4:Eu3+/AAO薄膜的制备与表征

采用水热法在多孔阳极氧化铝(AAO)模板上制备了NaGdF<,4>:Eu<'3+>(摩尔分数5.0%)/AAO薄膜,并研究了制备方法、溶液浓度和退火温度对薄膜样品形貌、结构和发光性质的影响.XRD结果表明,在低于500 ℃退火,得到具有NaGdF<,4>六方相结构的NaGdF<,4>:Eu<'3+>/AAO薄膜;而在5...     

掺杂Sb对纳米TiO2薄膜的超亲水性和微结构的影响

用溶胶-凝胶法将纳米TiO2:Sb薄膜沉积在玻璃基板上.研究了掺杂浓度对薄膜的光致超亲水性、薄膜结构和晶相转变的影响.结果表明,纯TiO2薄膜中， TiO2不仅以无定型态存在，而且还以板钛矿和锐钛矿的形式存在.掺杂Sb提高了TiO2由无定型向板钛矿和锐钛矿转变的速率.掺入适量的Sb后， TiO2薄膜表现出更好的光致超亲水性.由XRD谱可算出薄膜的晶粒大小为13.3～20.0 nm.     

Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured bismuth selenide thin films

Nanostructured bismuth selenide thin films have been successfully fabricated on a silicon substrate at low temperature by rational design of the precursor solution. Bi(2)Se(3) thin films were constructed of coalesced lamella in the thickness of 50-80 nm. The nucleation and growth process of Bi(2)Se(3) thin films, as well as the influence of solution chemistry on the film structure were investigated in detail. As one of the most promising thermoelectric materials, the thermoelectric properties of the prepared Bi(2)Se(3) thin films were also investigated. The power factor increased with increasing carrier mobility, coming from the enlarged crystallites and enhanced coalesced structure, and reached 1 μW cm(-1) K(-1).     

Effect of biphase on dielectric properties of Bi-doped lead strontium titanate thin films

Pb_0.4Sr_0.6TiO₃ (PST) thin films doped with various concentration of Bi were prepared by a sol-gel method. The phase status, surface morphology and dielectric properties of these thin films were measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and impedance analyzer, respectively. Results showed that the thin films with the maximum dielectric constant and minimum dielectric loss were obtained for x=0.15. For x<0.15, only pure PST perovskite phase were in the thin films. For 0.2<x<0.4, the PST/Bi₂Ti₂O₇ biphase were obtained. The thin films with pure Bi₂Ti₂O₇ pyrochlore phase were obtained for x=0.67. The biphase thin films had high tunability and high figure of merit (FOM). The FOM of PST/Bi₂Ti₂O₇ biphase thin film was about 6 times higher than that thin films formed with pure perovskite phase or pure pyrochlore phase.     

Entropic Mixing Allows Monomeric-Like Absorption in Neat BODIPY Films

Intermolecular interactions play a crucial role in materials chemistry because they govern thin film morphology. The photophysical properties of films of organic dyes are highly sensitive to the local environment, and a considerable effort has therefore been dedicated to engineering the morphology of organic thin films. Solubilizing side chains can successfully spatially separate chromophores, reducing detrimental intermolecular interactions. However, this strategy is also significantly decreasing achievable dye concentration. Here, five BODIPY derivatives containing small alkyl chains in the α-position were synthesized and photophysically characterized. By blending two or more derivatives, the increase in entropy reduces aggregation and therefore produces films with extreme dye concentration and, at the same time almost solution like absorption properties. Such a film was placed inside an optical cavity and the achieved system was demonstrated to reach the strong exciton-photon coupling regime by virtue of the achieved dye concentration and sharp absorption features of the film.     

Chemical modifications of Pb(Zr<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>,Ti<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>)O<Subscript>3</Subscript> precursor solutions and their influence on the morphological and electrical properties of the resulting thin films

Tetragonal lead zirconate titanate thin films on platinized silicon wafers have been prepared from chemically different precursor solutions by chemical solution deposition. Literature known routes have been evaluated and an optimized standard process has been developed leading to Pb(Zr_0.3,Ti_0.7)O₃ films with a high degree of (111) orientation which consequently shows square hysteris loops with Pr values of 34 μC/cm². Other solvents, different alkoxides of the transition metals, and different carboxylates of lead have been systematically introduced in this standard process and their influence on the final morphological and electrical properties has been studied. It has been found that the use of lead (II) propionate and titanium tetra n-butoxide for solution synthesis leads to a decrease of the remanent polarization of ∼50%. Furthermore the reaction atmosphere after spinning and during the pyrolysis has been investigated. Increased ambient humidity after the spin coating process also caused a significant deterioration of the final film properties. The findings have been explained in terms of a hindered formation of the (111) texture promoting intermediate Pt _x Pb phase.     

On the formation of calcium carbonate thin films under Langmuir monolayers of stearic acid

In this publication, we describe the growth of thin films of calcium carbonate beneath Langmuir monolayers of stearic acid. The size and shape of the crystalline structures were systematically studied by means of different microscopic techniques including Brewster angle microscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In a series of experiments, we explored the calcium carbonate crystallization process for different lipid monolayers and subphases. The observed phenomena support a crystallization process which is induced by a thin, film-like structure of a precursor phase. The basic processes of crystal and aggregate formation can be represented by a simple model which is based on electrostatic interactions between the surfactant film and the inorganic calcium carbonate structures.     

Effect of crystallization route on the properties of LiMn2O4 thin films prepared by spin coating

LiMn₂O₄ thin films were prepared by spin coating through intermediate amorphous layer route (IALR) and intermediate crystallized layer route (ICLR). The phase identification, surface morphology, and electrochemical properties of the films prepared by different crystallization routes were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and galvanostatic charge–discharge experiments. The results show that both films prepared by different crystallization routes are homogeneous and crack free. Compared with the film prepared by IALR, the film prepared by ICLR shows smaller grain size and is smoother and denser. The LiMn₂O₄ film prepared by ICLR delivers the specific capacity of 39.8 μAh?cm^?2?μm^?1, which is higher than 35.6 μAh?cm^?2?μm^?1 for the one prepared by IALR. The capacity loss of the film prepared by ICLR after being cycled 100 times is 3.4 %, which is smaller than that of 5.5 % for the film prepared by IALR. The film prepared by ICLR shows higher specific capacity and better cycling behavior than the one prepared by IALR.     

Preparation of polyimide/BaTiO3‐nanocrystal hybrid thin films and their dielectric property

High dielectric constant is highly desirable in capacitors and memory devices. In this work, oleic acid (OA)‐capped BaTiO₃ nanocrystals were synthesized by a two‐phase approach. Polyimide (PI)/BaTiO₃‐nanocrystal composite thin films with high dielectric constant have been successfully fabricated. The morphologies and dielectric properties of the hybrid films were exploited. The results showed that BaTiO₃ nanocrystals can be uniformly dispersed in the PI thin films owing to the surface modification of OA‐capped BaTiO₃ nanocrystals. It was found that the dielectric constant of composite film varies with the volume fraction of BaTiO₃ nanocrystals and sintering temperatures and reaches a maximum value of 44.1, which is around 13 times higher than that of pristine PI thin film (3.2). These results demonstrated that PI/BaTiO₃‐nanocrystal composite films have considerable application potential in microelectronic fields.