AUTHOR=Ruan Jinyu , Yin Chao , Zhang Tiandong , Pan Hao 

TITLE=Effects of LaNiO3 Seed Layer on the Microstructure and Electrical Properties of Ferroelectric BZT/PZT/BZT Thin Films

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Materials

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/materials/articles/10.3389/fmats.2021.732186

DOI=10.3389/fmats.2021.732186

ISSN=2296-8016

ABSTRACT=<p>Ferroelectric multilayer films attract great attention for a wide variation of applications. The synergistic effect by combining different functional layers induces distinctive electrical properties. In this study, ferroelectric BaZr<sub>0.2</sub>Ti<sub>0.8</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/PbZr<sub>0.52</sub>Ti<sub>0.48</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/BaZr<sub>0.2</sub>Ti<sub>0.8</sub>O<sub>3</sub> (BZT/PZT/BZT) multilayer thin films are designed and fabricated by using the magnetron sputtering method, and a LaNiO3 (LNO) seed layer is introduced. The microstructures and electrical properties of the BZT/PZT/BZT films with and without the LNO seed layer are systematically studied. The results show that the BZT/PZT/BZT/LNO thin film exhibits much lower surface roughness and a preferred (100)-orientation growth, with the growth template and tensile stress provided by the LNO layer. Moreover, an enhanced dielectric constant, decreased dielectric loss, and improved ferroelectric properties are achieved in BZT/PZT/BZT/LNO thin films. This work reveals that the seed layer can play an important role in improving the microstructure and properties of ferroelectric multilayer films.</p>