Fabrication and ferroelectric characterization of Mn-doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3 nanodots using an anodic aluminum oxide template

• Mn-doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNNM) nanodots were fabricated on an Nb-doped SrTiO3 substrate.
• Anodic aluminum oxide nanotemplate was used as a mold.
• The KNNM nanodots showed a diameter of 50 nm and a thickness of 34 nm.
• Ferroelectric properties of the KNNM nanodots were investigated.

Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates have received considerable interest due to their simple fabrication and extreme versatility. In this work, an array of Mn-doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3(KNNM) nanodots was fabricated on an Nb-doped SrTiO3substrate by means of a well-ordered AAO template and subsequently crystallized at 750 °C for 1 h in oxygen. The resulting nanodots had a diameter of 50 nm and a thickness of approximately 34 nm. Ferroelectric properties of the KNNM nanodots were investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy and electrostatic force microscopy.