AbstractIon modification for various perovskite-based ferroelectric thin films using rare-earth cations was attempted for improving the electrical properties. Strategy for controlling the electrical properties is mainly based on two concepts, that is, (i) substituting the volatile cations such as Pb2+ and Bi3+, and (ii) controlling the crystal anisotropy of perovskite unit cell. In this study, the influences of ion-modification conditions (i.e., amount, species and occupying site of substituent cations) on the electrical properties of perovskite-based ferroelectric films fabricated by a chemical solution deposition were investigated. Substituting volatile cations in simple-perovskite oxides, such Pb2+ in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 and Bi3+ in BiFeO3, for the rare-earth cations like La3+ and Nd3+ reduced the leakage current density of these films due to suppressing the metal and / or oxygen vacancies, as well as in layered-perovskite oxides, such as Bi4Ti3O12 films [i.e., strategy (i)]. Also, crystal anisotropy of perovskite-based oxides could controlled by varying the species and the occupying site of substituent cations [i.e., strategy (ii)]; for example, the crystal anisotropy of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 lattice was elongated by Ti- and Zr-site (B-site) substitution using rare-earth cations whose ionic radii locate on the smaller part of rare-earth series (such as Y3+, Dy3+), that resulted in enhancing the spontaneous polarization. We concluded that the strategy for controlling the electrical property mentioned in this study would be applicable for a various kind of perovskite-based ferroelectric films.
