Designing functional ferroelectric interfaces from first-principles: dipoles and band bending at oxide heterojunctions

Abstract

The fundamental phenomena at ferroelectric interfaces have been the subject of thorough theoretical and computational studies due to their usefulness in a large variety of emergent electronic devices, solar cells and catalysts. Ferroelectricity determines interface band-bending and shifts in electron energies, which can be beneficial or detrimental to device performance. However, the underlying mechanisms are still the subject of debate and investigation, as a deeper understanding of the electrochemistry is required to develop bona fide design principles for functional ferroelectric surfaces and interfaces. Here, using first principles calculations within the GGA + U formalism, we investigate the problem of band alignment in non-defective, asymmetric SrRuO3/PbTiO3/SrRuO3 capacitors with ultra-thin ferroelectric layers. The effects of the dielectric size on the polar distortion stability and interface-specific properties are analyzed. It is shown that the critical size of the dielectric for polarization switching is (5 PbTiO3 u.c.). Below this limit there is no bulk-like region in the dielectric, the space charge accumulated at interfaces leads to the presence of gap states in the whole PbTiO3 layer and ferroelectricity vanishes. We draw the band alignment diagrams as given by the band line-up and band structure terms, as well as by taking Ti 3s semi-core states as reference. In the ferroelectric structures, both approaches predict a strong effect of band-bending on the type of contact, Schottky or Ohmic, at the asymmetric interfaces. The effect of interface states on the interface dipole amplitude and band alignment is discussed.