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Title: Imprint control of BaTiO3 thin films via chemically induced surface polarization pinning

Journal Article · · Nano Letters
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
  2. Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)
  3. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Surface-adsorbed polar molecules can significantly alter the ferroelectric properties of oxide thin films. Thus, fundamental understanding and controlling the effect of surface adsorbates are crucial for the implementation of ferroelectric thin film devices, such as ferroelectric tunnel junctions. Herein, we report an imprint control of BaTiO3 (BTO) thin films by chemically induced surface polarization pinning in the top few atomic layers of the water-exposed BTO films. Our studies based on synchrotron X-ray scattering and coherent Bragg rod analysis demonstrate that the chemically induced surface polarization is not switchable but reduces the polarization imprint and improves the bistability of ferroelectric phase in BTO tunnel junctions. Here, we conclude that the chemical treatment of ferroelectric thin films with polar molecules may serve as a simple yet powerful strategy to enhance functional properties of ferroelectric tunnel junctions for their practical applications.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1325251
Journal Information:
Nano Letters, Vol. 16, Issue 4; ISSN 1530-6984
Publisher:
American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 44 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (13)

Direct observation of room-temperature out-of-plane ferroelectricity and tunneling electroresistance at the two-dimensional limit journal August 2018
BTO/GaN heterostructure based on Schottky junction for high-temperature selective ultra-violet photo detection journal January 2018
Self‐Polarized BaTiO 3 for Greatly Enhanced Performance of ZnO UV Photodetector by Regulating the Distribution of Electron Concentration journal November 2019
Low Voltage and Ferroelectric 2D Electron Devices Using Lead‐Free Ba x Sr 1‐x TiO 3 and MoS 2 Channel journal December 2019
Ferroelectric polarization switching induced from water adsorption in BaTiO 3 ultrathin films journal February 2020
Surface charged species and electrochemistry of ferroelectric thin films journal January 2019
Characterization and control of vortex and antivortex domain defects in quadrilateral ferroelectric nanodots journal October 2019
Catalysis on oxidized ferroelectric surfaces—Epitaxially strained LaTiO 2 N and BaTiO 3 for photocatalytic water splitting journal January 2020
Nonstoichiometry, structure, and properties of Ba 1−x TiO y thin films journal January 2018
Thickness‐Dependent Asymmetric Potential Landscape and Polarization Relaxation in Ferroelectric Hf x Zr 1− x O 2 Thin Films through Interfacial Bound Charges journal June 2019
Water printing of ferroelectric polarization journal September 2018
Water adsorption, dissociation and oxidation on SrTiO 3 and ferroelectric surfaces revealed by ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy journal January 2019
Phase-field simulations of surface charge-induced polarization switching journal March 2019