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Optical and microstructural characterization of multilayer Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films correlating ellipsometry and nanoscopy

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Abstract

Optical and microstructural characteristics of sol–gel-deposited multilayer Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films were investigated employing several analytical techniques both invasive and non-destructive types. Optical responses probed by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) were used to derive the optical properties and geometrical parameters of the multilayer thin films. STEM and TEM studies were performed to verify the nano-structural specifics and to correlate the results obtained using VASE. Crystallographic orientation and epitaxial interrelations of the layers were also investigated using selected area diffraction patterns with compositional profiles derived from energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Ferroelectric domain switching of the sol–gel-deposited films were studied by Piezoelectric Force Microscopy (PFM) revealing both the polarization–electric field hysteresis (P-E loop) relation and the butterfly-shaped surface displacement amplitude responses. The advantages and limitations of the non-invasive VASE characterization technique in terms of resolving a multilayer structure of thin films were explored in detail.

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Acknowledgements

This work has been supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1002380 and by the Department of Defence under the Grant No. W911NF-12-1-0082. The authors express gratitude to Dr. Carlos D. Garcia of Department of Chemistry and to Dr. Arturo Ponce of Kleberg Advanced Microscopy Center, UTSA, for providing access and technical guidance in VASE and in SEM/TEM experiments, respectively. The VASE has been made available by the National Institutes of Health through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (2SC3GM081085) and the Research Centers at Minority Institutions (G12MD007591).

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  1. Md. Shafiqur Rahman

    Present address: Materials Science, Engineering and Commercialization Program, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA

    Moumita Dutta, Amar S. Bhalla & Ruyan Guo

  2. Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Advanced Materials Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA

    Md. Shafiqur Rahman, Amar S. Bhalla & Ruyan Guo

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  1. Moumita Dutta
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Correspondence to Moumita Dutta.

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Dutta, M., Rahman, M., Bhalla, A.S. et al. Optical and microstructural characterization of multilayer Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films correlating ellipsometry and nanoscopy. J Mater Sci 51, 7944–7955 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0064-8

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