Microstructural evolution during pyrolysis of triol-based sol-gel single-layer Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 thin films

2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2066-2074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaoxia Zhou ◽  
Ian M. Reaney ◽  
David Hind ◽  
Steven J. Milne ◽  
Andy P. Brown ◽  
...  

Advanced analytical transmission electron microscopy has been used to investigate microstructural evolution during pyrolysis in triol-based sol-gel thin films. At pyrolysis temperatures up to 300 °C, the films remained amorphous; however, nanometer-sized precipitates were observed in films heat-treated up to 400 °C for 10 min. Analytical transmission electron microscopy indicated that the precipitates were Pb-rich, as well as deficient in O, Ti, and Zr. Films pyrolyzed up to 500 °C for 10 min were composed of a nanocrystalline pyrochlore phase; however, pores could be observed, situated in the same position as the nanometer-sized precipitates at 400 °C. Face-centered cubic Pb-rich crystallites were also present on the surface of pyrolyzed films but absent in the fully crystallized films annealed at 650 °C. A tentative mechanism is proposed to explain these observations.

1995 ◽  
Vol 401 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Ryen ◽  
E. Olssoni ◽  
L. D. Madsen ◽  
C. N. L. Johnson ◽  
X. Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractEpitaxial single layer (001) SrTiO3 films and an epitaxial Yba2Cu3O7-x/SrTiO3 multilayer were dc and rf sputtered on (110)rhombohedral LaAIO3 substrates. The microstructure of the films was characterised using transmission electron microscopy. The single layer SrTiO3 films exhibited different columnar morphologies. The column boundaries were due to the lattice mismatch between film and substrate. The boundaries were associated with interfacial dislocations at the film/substrate interface, where the dislocations relaxed the strain in the a, b plane. The columns consisted of individual subgrains. These subgrains were misoriented with respect to each other, with different in-plane orientations and different tilts of the (001) planes. The subgrain boundaries were antiphase or tilt boundaries.The individual layers of the Yba2Cu3O7-x/SrTiO3 multilayer were relatively uniform. A distortion of the SrTiO3 unit cell of 0.9% in the ‘001’ direction and a Sr/Ti ratio of 0.62±0.04 was observed, both in correspondence with the single layer SrTiO3 films. Areas with different tilt of the (001)-planes were also present, within each individual SrTiO3 layer.


1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1441-1444 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Armelao ◽  
A. Armigliato ◽  
R. Bozio ◽  
P. Colombo

The microstructure of Fe2O3 sol-gel thin films, obtained from Fe(OCH2CH3)3, was investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. Samples were nanocrystalline from 400 °C to 1000 °C, and the crystallized phase was haematite. In the coatings, the α–Fe2O3 clusters were dispersed as single particles in a network of amorphous ferric oxide.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanja Ćulubrk ◽  
Željka Antić ◽  
Vesna Lojpur ◽  
Milena Marinović-Cincović ◽  
Miroslav D. Dramićanin

Herein we presented hydrolytic sol-gel synthesis and photoluminescent properties of Eu3+-doped Gd2Ti2O7pyrochlore nanopowders. According to Gd2Ti2O7precursor gel thermal analysis a temperature of 840°C is identified for the formation of the crystalline pyrochlore phase. Obtained samples were systematically characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The powders consist of well-crystalline cubic nanocrystallites of approximately 20 nm in size as evidenced from X-ray diffraction. The scanning and transmission electron microscopy shows that investigated Eu3+-doped Gd2Ti2O7nanopowders consist of compact, dense aggregates composed entirely of nanoparticles with variable both shape and dimension. The influence of Eu3+ions concentration on the optical properties, namely, photoluminescence emission and decay time, is measured and discussed. Emission intensity as a function of Eu3+ions concentration shows that Gd2Ti2O7host can accept Eu3+ions in concentrations up to 10 at.%. On the other hand, lifetime values are similar up to 3 at.% (~2.7 ms) and experience decrease at higher concentrations (2.4 ms for 10 at.% Eu3+). Moreover, photoluminescent spectra and lifetime values clearly revealed presence of structural defects in sol-gel derived materials proposing photoluminescent spectroscopy as a sensitive tool for monitoring structural changes in both steady state and lifetime domains.


2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1626-1631 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Karthikeyan ◽  
Rui M. Almeida

An investigation of phase separation phenomena in gel and glassy thin films of silica–titania, with TiO2 contents of 20 and 40 mol%, has been carried out by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The thin films were prepared by spin coating of a precursor sol on silicon wafers. Both the TEM measurements (carried out on scrapped thin film flakes) and the AFM measurements (carried out on films coated on the silicon substrates) for samples with different heat treatments suggest that spinodal-like structural inhomogeneities occur in these samples, unlike the corresponding observations in pure silica films, which are known to be homogeneous. Changes in the microstructure of the films have been noticed with the thermal treatment, in agreement with earlier x-ray photoemission studies. The finer characteristic dimensions of the phase separated regions reveal that silica–titania samples prepared by sol-gel processing exhibit a more intimate mixing of the phases.


2003 ◽  
Vol 795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Luo ◽  
R. A. Hughes ◽  
J. S. Preston ◽  
G. A. Botton

ABSTRACTYBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on (100) LaAlO3 (LAO) substrates show a strong thickness dependence on the electrical properties. For example, for films in excess of 0.3 μm, the critical current density decreases with increasing thickness. In contrast, nano-composite films consisting of a series of multiple layers of YBa2Cu3O7-x and (Ba0.05, Sr0.95)TiO3 (BSTO) thin films having a total thickness of 5 μm show improved electrical properties. In order to understand this phenomenon, a detailed microstructural characterization has been undertaken. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations show that cracks, stacking faults, c-║ crystals and secondary phase precipitates are present on the single-layer films, while a high-quality microstructure is observed for the nanocomposite multiple-layer films although defects at YBCO/BSTO interface are still present. In addition, nanocomposite films have a reduced surface roughness. In this complex microstructure, the YBCO/BSTO interfaces and the lattice mismatch strain play a crucial role in controlling the nature of the defects and stability of phases. In order to understand the role of the BSTO layer has on the microstructure, the interfacial mismatch strain and defects are analyzed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) in combination with the Moiré fringe technique.


1999 ◽  
Vol 596 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Sagalowicz ◽  
P. Muralt ◽  
S. Hiboux ◽  
T. Maeder ◽  
K. Brooks ◽  
...  

AbstractElectrode stability, interdiffusion, phase purity and deviation from stoichiometry at the PZT-electrode interface are key issues in PZT thin film integration. This article highlights the use of transmission electron imaging combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) for the investigation of these phenomena. The accuracy of the EDS analysis is discussed. It will be shown that using a standard PZT sample and controlled conditions, reliable analysis can be performed.Diffusion mechanisms have been studied for Pt based electrode systems and RuO2-based electrode systems developed for direct integration onto silicon. The materials studied were composed of stacks of silicon-silicon oxide, an adhesion layer (Ti, Ta or TiOx), an electrode (Pt or RuG2) and PZT (45/55). The PZT was deposited by sol gel using the same parameters to allow for comparison of the different electrodes. Four different electrode / adhesion layer materials were compared (Pt/Ti, Pt/TiOx, Pt/Ta and RuO2 / TiO2). In the case of Pt, lead and oxygen diffusion through the electrode is observed. While the initial Ta layer transforms into a homogeneous pyrochlore phase, the Ti adhesion layer is heavily deformed. In the case of TiOx the lead is mainly incorporated at the interfaces with Pt and with SiO2. No lead diffusion to the adhesion layer is observed for the RuO2 electrode. In-situ sputtering and sol-gel deposition of PZT are also compared. The sol-gel films are close to the right stoichiometry for the perovskite while the sputtered films contained an excess of lead. No sign of second phase is found by X-ray diffraction (XRD), by EDS and by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) which suggests that the excess lead is accommodated in the perovskite lattice.


1993 ◽  
Vol 310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Supapan Seraphin ◽  
Dan Zhou ◽  
G. Teowee ◽  
J.M. Boulton ◽  
D.R. Uhlmann

AbstractThe microstructure of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films prepared by a sol-gel technique was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and transmission electron diffraction. We investigated the microstructure of three sets of thin films with different chemical compositions: PZT 53/47 films with no excess PbO; with excess PbO; and PZT 65/35 with no excess PbO. All samples were fired for 30 minutes at temperatures ranging from 400C to 700C. Incorporation of excess PbO in the 53/47 film fired at 450C resulted in polycrystalline perovskite grains with an average grain size of less than 0.1 μm. Grain boundaries are decorated by 5-10 nm diameter precipitates possibly caused by the segregation of remnant pyrochlore or excess PbO. The films have high values of dielectric constant (up to 2500) when fired at 700C. PZT 65/35 fired at 700C consists of two distinct phases: a fine-grained matrix of pyrochlore, and 10-μm diameter rosettes of perovskite. The correlations between the compositions, the microstructure of the films, and their processing conditions on the one hand, and ferroelectric properties on the other are discussed.


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