Preparation and characterization of ferroelectric SrBi2Ta2O9 thin films on Si using Al2O3 buffer layers

Abstract

SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) thin films were prepared on p-type Si(100) substrates with Al2O3 buffer layers. Both the SBT films and the Al2O3 buffer layers were deposited by a pulsed laser deposition technique using a KrF excimer laser. An Al prelayer was used to prevent Si surface oxidization in the initial growth stage. It is shown that Al2O3 buffer layers effectively prevented interdiffusion between SBT and Si substrates. Furthermore, the capacitance–voltage (C-V) characteristics of the SBT/Al2O3/Si heterostructures show a hysteresis loop with a clockwise trace, demonstrating the ferroelectric switching properties of SBT films and showing a memory window of 1.6 V at 1 MHz.