Dielectric breakdown in epitaxial BaTiO3thin films

Hsinwei Wu; Patrick Ponath; Edward L. Lin; Robert M. Wallace; Chadwin Young; John G. Ekerdt; Alexander A. Demkov; Martha R. McCartney; David J. Smith

doi:10.1116/6.0000237

Dielectric breakdown in epitaxial BaTiO₃thin films

Hsinwei Wu, Patrick Ponath, Edward L. Lin, Robert M. Wallace, Chadwin Young, John G. Ekerdt, Alexander A. Demkov, Martha R. McCartney, David J. Smith

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this work, thin epitaxial layers of dielectric barium titanate (BaTiO3 or BTO) were grown on Nb-doped strontium titanate (001) substrates using either molecular beam epitaxy or atomic layer deposition and then electrically stressed to the point of breakdown. The BTO layer thicknesses were in the range of 20-60 nm, and typical breakdown fields were in the range of 1.5-3.0 MV/cm. Electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) were used to provide information about the degradation mechanism. High-resolution imaging revealed widespread structural damage in the BTO films after breakdown had occurred, with substantial polycrystallinity as well as amorphous regions. EELS analysis of the stressed films showed characteristic signatures of valence change in the Ti L23 EELS spectra associated with the accumulation of oxygen vacancies. Stressed heterostructures that had been patterned by electron lithography showed similar trends, including degraded crystallinity as well as oxygen loss.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	0000237
Journal	Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B:Nanotechnology and Microelectronics
Volume	38
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0000237
State	Published - Jul 1 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Instrumentation
Process Chemistry and Technology
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Materials Chemistry

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title = "Dielectric breakdown in epitaxial BaTiO3thin films",

abstract = "In this work, thin epitaxial layers of dielectric barium titanate (BaTiO3 or BTO) were grown on Nb-doped strontium titanate (001) substrates using either molecular beam epitaxy or atomic layer deposition and then electrically stressed to the point of breakdown. The BTO layer thicknesses were in the range of 20-60 nm, and typical breakdown fields were in the range of 1.5-3.0 MV/cm. Electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) were used to provide information about the degradation mechanism. High-resolution imaging revealed widespread structural damage in the BTO films after breakdown had occurred, with substantial polycrystallinity as well as amorphous regions. EELS analysis of the stressed films showed characteristic signatures of valence change in the Ti L23 EELS spectra associated with the accumulation of oxygen vacancies. Stressed heterostructures that had been patterned by electron lithography showed similar trends, including degraded crystallinity as well as oxygen loss.",

author = "Hsinwei Wu and Patrick Ponath and Lin, {Edward L.} and Wallace, {Robert M.} and Chadwin Young and Ekerdt, {John G.} and Demkov, {Alexander A.} and McCartney, {Martha R.} and Smith, {David J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by AFOSR (Contract No. FA 9550-14-1-0090). The authors thank Jian Wang for assistance with preparing the patterned samples and gratefully acknowledge the use of facilities within the John M. Cowley Center for High Resolution Electron Microscopy at Arizona State University. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Author(s).",

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AU - Wu, Hsinwei

AU - Ponath, Patrick

AU - Lin, Edward L.

AU - Wallace, Robert M.

AU - Young, Chadwin

AU - Ekerdt, John G.

AU - Demkov, Alexander A.

AU - McCartney, Martha R.

AU - Smith, David J.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by AFOSR (Contract No. FA 9550-14-1-0090). The authors thank Jian Wang for assistance with preparing the patterned samples and gratefully acknowledge the use of facilities within the John M. Cowley Center for High Resolution Electron Microscopy at Arizona State University. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Author(s).

PY - 2020/7/1

Y1 - 2020/7/1

N2 - In this work, thin epitaxial layers of dielectric barium titanate (BaTiO3 or BTO) were grown on Nb-doped strontium titanate (001) substrates using either molecular beam epitaxy or atomic layer deposition and then electrically stressed to the point of breakdown. The BTO layer thicknesses were in the range of 20-60 nm, and typical breakdown fields were in the range of 1.5-3.0 MV/cm. Electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) were used to provide information about the degradation mechanism. High-resolution imaging revealed widespread structural damage in the BTO films after breakdown had occurred, with substantial polycrystallinity as well as amorphous regions. EELS analysis of the stressed films showed characteristic signatures of valence change in the Ti L23 EELS spectra associated with the accumulation of oxygen vacancies. Stressed heterostructures that had been patterned by electron lithography showed similar trends, including degraded crystallinity as well as oxygen loss.

AB - In this work, thin epitaxial layers of dielectric barium titanate (BaTiO3 or BTO) were grown on Nb-doped strontium titanate (001) substrates using either molecular beam epitaxy or atomic layer deposition and then electrically stressed to the point of breakdown. The BTO layer thicknesses were in the range of 20-60 nm, and typical breakdown fields were in the range of 1.5-3.0 MV/cm. Electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) were used to provide information about the degradation mechanism. High-resolution imaging revealed widespread structural damage in the BTO films after breakdown had occurred, with substantial polycrystallinity as well as amorphous regions. EELS analysis of the stressed films showed characteristic signatures of valence change in the Ti L23 EELS spectra associated with the accumulation of oxygen vacancies. Stressed heterostructures that had been patterned by electron lithography showed similar trends, including degraded crystallinity as well as oxygen loss.

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Dielectric breakdown in epitaxial BaTiO₃thin films

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