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Effect of metal electrodes on the steady-state leakage current in PZT thin film capacitors

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Abstract

The ferroelectric Ir/PZT/Pt and Au/PZT/Pt capacitor structures are studied by the electron beam induced current (EBIC) technique and the steady-state current–voltage dependencies. EBIC data reveal the change in the local field at the PZT/metal interfaces caused by migration of oxygen vacancies \({V}_{o}^{**}\) under an action of applied electric field. Ir/PZT and Pt/PZT interfaces block \({V}_{o}^{**}\) movement causing their accumulation near the cathode interface. An electrons injection from the metal cathode to the PZT leads to formation of induced p–n junction. The steady-state leakage current in this case is well described by modified equation for the p-n diode, which considers an action of the counter electric field caused by electrons injection. In the case of transparent for oxygen vacancies Au/PZT cathode oxygen vacancies leave the PZT bulk and current–voltage dependence demonstrates a region of negative differential conductivity at high electric fields. The proposed p–n junction formalism can be used for engineering of PZT-based devices.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) under grant № 19-29-03058. The ferroelectrics program conceptualization and selection of the material for this research were conducted under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia program № 0706-2020-0022.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MIREA - Russian Technological University (RTU MIREA), Vernadsky 78, Moscow, 119454, Russian Federation

    Yury V. Podgorny, Alexander N. Antonovich, Alexey A. Petrushin, Alexander S. Sigov & Konstantin A. Vorotilov

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  1. Yury V. Podgorny
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  2. Alexander N. Antonovich
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  3. Alexey A. Petrushin
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  4. Alexander S. Sigov
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  5. Konstantin A. Vorotilov
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Correspondence to Konstantin A. Vorotilov.

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Podgorny, Y.V., Antonovich, A.N., Petrushin, A.A. et al. Effect of metal electrodes on the steady-state leakage current in PZT thin film capacitors. J Electroceram 49, 15–21 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-022-00288-5

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