Novel ferroelectric capacitor for non-volatile memory storage and biomedical tactile sensor applications

We report on novel ferroelectric thin film compositions for use in non-volatile memory storage and biomedical tactile sensor applications. The lead zirconate titanate (PZT) composition was modified by lanthanum (La3+) (PLZT) and vanadium (V5+) (PZTV, PLZTV) doping. Hybrid films with PZTV and PLZTV as top layers are also made using seed layers of differing compositions using sol–gel and spin coating methods. La3+ doping decreased the coercive field, polarization and leakage current, while increasing the relative permittivity. V5+ doping, while having similar effects, results in an enhanced polarization, with comparable dielectric loss characteristics. Complex doping of both La3+ and V5+ in PLZTV, while reducing the polarization relative to PZTV, significantly decreases the coercive field. Hybrid films have a greater uniformity of grain formation than non-hybrid films, thus decreasing the coercive field, leakage current and polarization fatigue while increasing the relative permittivity. Analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD) verified the retention of the PZT perovskite structure in the novel films. PLZT/PZTV has been identified as an optimal ferroelectric film composition due to its desirable ferroelectric, fatigue and dielectric properties, including the highest observed remnant polarization (Pr) of ∼ 25 μC/cm2, saturation polarization (Psat) of ∼ 58 μC/cm2 and low coercive field (Ec) of ∼ 60 kV/cm at an applied field of ∼ 1000 kV/cm, as well as a low leakage current density of ∼ 10− 5 A/cm2 at 500 kV/cm and fatigue resistance of up to ∼ 1010 switching cycles.