Facile Growth of Functional Perovskite Oxide Nanowire Arrays by Hybrid Physical-Chemical Techniques

Abstract

ABSTRACTA generalized route encompassing a facile hybrid physical/chemical approach is reported for fabricating size and shape selective nanowires of technologically important ferroelectric perovskite oxides (Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) and Pb-free ZnSnO3) on industrially feasible large-area substrates. The approaches involve depositing nano-seed layers (50 - 100 nm in thickness) of the desired materials (Ti for PZT and ZnO for ZnSnO3) by pulsed laser deposition and RF sputtering techniques followed by oriented growth of nanowire arrays of these materials by solvothermal processes by varying solvent compositions and ratios. Similar crystal symmetry between the seed-layers facilitated the growth of well-aligned nanowire arrays of the targeted materials homogeneously on the substrates with a high packing density. Measurements of the electronic (field-emission), and ferroelectric properties of the materials are performed and discussed in terms of understanding their potential for future technological applications. The facile, low-cost method for fabricating high quality nanowires may expand the outreach of probes for understanding the structure-property relations in other perovskite materials.