Parametric study of seed-layer-assisted electrochemical growth of high-quality ZnMgO thin films on ZnO-coated FTO substrates: effect of seed layers thickness

ABSTRACTLeveraging past research activities in orientation control of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films [1,2], this work attempts to optimize those research results using the fabrication equipment at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory so as to achieve a high degree of {001}- texture and improved piezoelectric properties. Initial experiments examined the influence of Ti/Pt and TiO2/Pt thins films used as the base-electrode for chemical solution deposition PZT thin film growth. In all cases, the starting silicon substrates used a 500 nm thermally grown silicon dioxide. The Pt films were sputter deposited onto highly textured titanium dioxide films grown by a thermal oxidation process of a sputtered Ti film [3]. The second objective targeted was to achieve highly {001}-textured PZT using a seed layer of PbTiO3 (PT). A comparative study was performed between Ti/Pt and TiO2/Pt bottom electrodes. The results indicate that the use of a highly oriented TiO2 led to highly {111}-textured Pt, which in turn improved both the PT and PZT orientations. Both PZT (52/48) and (45/55) thin films with and without PT seed layers were deposited and examined via x-ray diffraction methods (XRD) as a function of annealing temperature. As expected, the PT seed layer provides significant improvement in the PZT {001}-texture while suppressing the {111}-texture of the PZT. Improvements in the Lotgering factor (f) were observed upon comparison of the original Ti/Pt/PZT process (f=0.66) with samples using the PT seed layer as a template, Ti/Pt/PT/PZT (f=0.87), and with films deposited onto the improved Pt electrodes, TiO2/Pt/PT/PZT (f=0.96).

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Feasibility of ZnO and Zn Seed Layers for Growth of Vertically Aligned and High-Quality ZnO Nanorods by the Sonochemical Method

Solid State Phenomena ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/ssp.290.267 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 290 ◽

pp. 267-273

Author(s):

Nama A. Hammed ◽

Azlan Abdul Aziz ◽

Adamu Ibrahim Usman

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Seed Layer ◽

Zno Nanorods ◽

Volume Ratio ◽

Sonochemical Method ◽

Adhesion Layer ◽

High Quality ◽

X Ray ◽

Vertically Aligned ◽

Seed Layers

The role of both zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc (Zn) seed layers were evaluated for the growth of vertically aligned high-quality zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods by the sonochemical method. A total of four samples categorized into two groups were evaluated, with a different type and thickness of seed layer for the first group - ZnO, 85 nm and the second group - Zn, 55 nm respectively. This was after depositing Ti (10 nm) as the adhesion layer on p-type Si (111) substrates for two samples, and without the adhesion layer on the others. All depositions were carried out using RF-sputtering. The effects of the seed layers on the growth of vertically aligned high-quality ZnO nanorods were systematically studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results show that the type and thickness of a seed layer are key parameters to the synthesis of high quality ZnO nanorods. Results also show that the Ti (10 nm) adhesion layer did not affect the growth surface-to-volume ratio of the ZnO nanorods and the ZnO nanorods synthesized using ZnO (85 nm) as seed layer has a better surface-to-volume ratio compared to that using Zn (55 nm) as seed layer, with and without the adhesion layer.

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Sol-Gel Growth of High-Quality Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 Films on RUO2 Using Seed Layers

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-541-307 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 541 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

G. J. Norga ◽

Laura Fè ◽

D. J. Wouters ◽

A. Bartic ◽

H.E. Maes

Keyword(s):

Seed Layer ◽

Sol Gel ◽

Fatigue Performance ◽

Gel Growth ◽

High Quality ◽

New Approaches ◽

Fatigue Characteristics ◽

Ferroelectric Capacitors ◽

Seed Layers

AbstractNew approaches for improving fatigue performance of sol-gel PZT based ferroelectric capacitors with RuO2 electrodes are discussed. The use of thin (∼5 nm) high-Ti PZT seed layer was found to be effective for improving fatigue performance. For an optimized seedlayer thickness, FECAPs with excellent fatigue characteristics (less than 10% decrease in Pr after 1011 cycles) were obtained.

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Low-Temperature Growth of ZnO Nanowires from Gravure-Printed ZnO Nanoparticle Seed Layers for Flexible Piezoelectric Devices

Nanomaterials ◽

10.3390/nano11061430 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1430

Author(s):

Andrés Jenaro Lopez Garcia ◽

Giuliano Sico ◽

Maria Montanino ◽

Viktor Defoor ◽

Manojit Pusty ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Low Temperature ◽

Zno Nanowires ◽

Plastic Substrate ◽

Homogeneous Distribution ◽

Zno Nanoparticle ◽

Gravure Printing ◽

High Quality ◽

Piezoelectric Devices ◽

Seed Layers

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) are excellent candidates for the fabrication of energy harvesters, mechanical sensors, and piezotronic and piezophototronic devices. In order to integrate ZnO NWs into flexible devices, low-temperature fabrication methods are required that do not damage the plastic substrate. To date, the deposition of patterned ceramic thin films on flexible substrates is a difficult task to perform under vacuum-free conditions. Printing methods to deposit functional thin films offer many advantages, such as a low cost, low temperature, high throughput, and patterning at the same stage of deposition. Among printing techniques, gravure-based techniques are among the most attractive due to their ability to produce high quality results at high speeds and perform deposition over a large area. In this paper, we explore gravure printing as a cost-effective high-quality method to deposit thin ZnO seed layers on flexible polymer substrates. For the first time, we show that by following a chemical bath deposition (CBD) process, ZnO nanowires may be grown over gravure-printed ZnO nanoparticle seed layers. Piezo-response force microscopy (PFM) reveals the presence of a homogeneous distribution of Zn-polar domains in the NWs, and, by use of the data, the piezoelectric coefficient is estimated to be close to 4 pm/V. The overall results demonstrate that gravure printing is an appropriate method to deposit seed layers at a low temperature and to undertake the direct fabrication of flexible piezoelectric transducers that are based on ZnO nanowires. This work opens the possibility of manufacturing completely vacuum-free solution-based flexible piezoelectric devices.

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Organic Solution Deposition of Copper Seed Layers onto Barrier Metals

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-612-d9.19.1 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 612 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

H. Gu ◽

R. Fang ◽

T. J. O'Keefe ◽

M. J. O'Keefe ◽

W.-S. Shih ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Seed Layer ◽

Copper Deposition ◽

Copper Films ◽

Exchange Reactions ◽

Organic Solution ◽

Spontaneous Deposition ◽

Electroless Copper ◽

Barrier Metal ◽

Seed Layers

AbstractSpontaneous deposition of copper seed layers from metal bearing organic based solutions onto sputter deposited titanium, titanium nitride, and tantalum diffusion barrier thin films has been demonstrated. Based on electrochemically driven cementation exchange reactions, the process was used to produce adherent, selectively deposited copper metal particulate films on blanket and patterned barrier metal thin films on silicon substrates. The organic solution deposited copper films were capable of acting as seed layers for subsequent electrolytic and electroless copper deposition processes using standard plating baths. Electroless and electrolytic copper films from 0.1µm to 1.0µm thick were produced on a variety of samples on which the organic solution copper acted as the initial catalytic seed layer. The feasibility of using organic solution deposited palladium as a seed layer followed by electroless copper deposition has also been demonstrated. In addition, experiments conducted on patterned barrier metal samples with exposed areas of dielectric such as polyimide indicated that no organic solution copper or palladium deposition occurred on the insulating materials.

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Zno Nanorod Synthesis via Controlled ZnO Seed Layer by Filtered Pulse Cathodic Vacuum Arc: Luminescence Enhancement

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.802.1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 802 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Anumut Deachana ◽

Paul K. Chu ◽

Dheerawan Boonyawan

Keyword(s):

Seed Layer ◽

Energy Gap ◽

Defect Density ◽

Zno Nanorods ◽

Vacuum Arc ◽

Zno Nanorod ◽

Large Area ◽

High Quality ◽

Continuous Growth ◽

Seed Layers

A simple synthesis route to high-quality ZnO nanorod is reported, utilizing ZnO thin films grown by Filtered Pulse Cathodic Vacuum Arc (FPCVA) deposition as seed layers and continuous growth by hydrothermal method. Depending upon the FPCVA deposited conditions, implanted voltages, thickness and annealing temperature of ZnO seed layer, the surface morphology of the ZnO nanorod on ZnO film was noticeably different. The average diameters of the nanorod on Al substrates varied from about 131.99 ± 23.87 to 418.17 ±75.50 nm. The grown ZnO nanorod showed a high crystallinity with energy gap of 3.37 eV and low defect density confirmed by UV/VIS Spectrometer and photoluminescence spectrum (PL). Large-area growth, quasi-aligned and high quality indicates that the ZnO nanorods produced have potential application in field emission and optoelectronic devices.

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High-quality Ge-rich SiGe thin films epitaxially grown on Si at low temperature by a two-step approach

CrystEngComm ◽

10.1039/c9ce00948e ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (43) ◽

pp. 6623-6629

Author(s):

Ke Tao ◽

Jin Wang ◽

Shuai Jiang ◽

Rui Jia ◽

Zhi Jin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Low Temperature ◽

Seed Layer ◽

Si Substrate ◽

High Quality ◽

Bulk Layer ◽

Thermal Cvd ◽

Post Annealing ◽

Step Growth ◽

Growth Approach

A two-step growth approach including seed layer epitaxy, post-annealing, and bulk layer epitaxy was proposed to deposit high quality Ge-rich Si1−xGex epilayer directly on Si substrate by reactive thermal CVD (RTCVD) at low temperature (350 °C).

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