Interface control of surface photochemical reactivity in ultrathin epitaxial ferroelectric films
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052 (Australia)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588 (United States)
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China)
- School of Engineering and Materials, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NS London (United Kingdom)
- CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, P.O. Box 218, Lindfield, New South Wales 2070 (Australia)
Asymmetrical electrical boundary conditions in (001)-oriented Pb(Zr{sub 0.2}TiO{sub 0.8})O{sub 3} (PZT) epitaxial ultrathin ferroelectric films are exploited to control surface photochemical reactivity determined by the sign of the surface polarization charge. It is shown that the preferential orientation of polarization in the as-grown PZT layer can be manipulated by choosing an appropriate type of bottom electrode material. PZT films deposited on the SrRuO{sub 3} electrodes exhibit preferential upward polarization (C{sup +}) whilst the same films grown on the (La,Sr)CoO{sub 3}-electrodes are polarized downward (C{sup -}). Photochemical activity of the PZT surfaces with different surface polarization charges has been tested by studying deposition of silver nanoparticles from AgNO{sub 3} solution under UV irradiation. PZT surfaces with preferential C{sup +} orientation possess a more active surface for metal reduction than their C{sup -} counterparts, evidenced by large differences in the concentration of deposited silver nanoparticles. This effect is attributed to band bending at the bottom interface which varies depending on the difference in work functions of PZT and electrode materials.
- OSTI ID:
- 22162895
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 102, Issue 18; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
COBALT OXIDES
DEPOSITION
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
EPITAXY
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
LANTHANUM COMPOUNDS
LAYERS
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
POLARIZATION
PZT
RUTHENIUM COMPOUNDS
SILVER NITRATES
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
WORK FUNCTIONS