Intrinsic Dielectric Response in Ferroelectric Nanocrystals

TL;DR

This study shows that free-standing ferroelectric nanocrystals exhibit dielectric responses similar to bulk crystals, challenging previous notions that thin film effects alter their phase transition behavior.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence that the dielectric response in free-standing ferroelectric nanocrystals remains bulk-like, contrasting with thin film heterostructures where broadening and shifts are observed.

Findings

Peak dielectric constant ca. 25,000

First-order phase transition behavior observed

Absence of broadening or temperature shift in dielectric peak

Abstract

Measurements on 'free-standing' single crystal barium titanate capacitors with thicknesses down to 75nm show a dielectric response typical of large single crystals rather than conventional thin films. There is a notable absence of any broadening or temperature shift of the dielectric peak or loss tangent. Peak dielectric constants of ca. 25,000 are obtained, and Curie-Weiss analysis demonstrates 1st order transformation behavior. This is in surprising contrast to results on conventionally deposited thin film heterostructures, which show large dielectric peak broadening and temperature shifts [e.g. C. B. Parker, J-P. Maria and A. I. Kingon, Appl. Phys. Lett., 81, 340 (2002)], as well as an apparent change in the nature of the paraelectric-ferroelectric transition from 1st to 2nd order. Our data are compatible with the recent model by Bratkovsky and Levanyuk, which attributes dielectric peak broadening to gradient terms that will exist in any thin film capacitor heterostructure, either through defect profiles introduced during growth, or through subtle asymmetry between top and bottom electrodes. The observed recovery of 1st order transformation behavior is consistent with the absence of significant substrate clamping in our experiment, as modeled by Pertsev et al. Phys. Rev. Lett., 80, 1988 (1998), and illustrates that the 2nd order behaviour seen in conventionally deposited thin films cannot be attributed to the effects of reduced dimensionality in the system, nor to the influence of an intrinsic universal interfacial capacitance associated with the electrode-ferroelectric interface.