5 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
- ItemFerroelectric Self-Poling in GeTe Films and Crystals(Basel : MDPI, 2019) Kriegner, Dominik; Springholz, Gunther; Richter, Carsten; Pilet, Nicolas; Müller, Elisabeth; Capron, Marie; Berger, Helmut; Holý, Václav; Dil, J. Hugo; Krempaský, JurajFerroelectric materials are used in actuators or sensors because of their non-volatile macroscopic electric polarization. GeTe is the simplest known diatomic ferroelectric endowed with exceedingly complex physics related to its crystalline, amorphous, thermoelectric, and—fairly recently discovered—topological properties, making the material potentially interesting for spintronics applications. Typically, ferroelectric materials possess random oriented domains that need poling to achieve macroscopic polarization. By using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy complemented with anomalous diffraction and piezo-response force microscopy, we investigated the bulk ferroelectric structure of GeTe crystals and thin films. Both feature multi-domain structures in the form of oblique domains for films and domain colonies inside crystals. Despite these multi-domain structures which are expected to randomize the polarization direction, our experimental results show that at room temperature there is a preferential ferroelectric order remarkably consistent with theoretical predictions from ideal GeTe crystals. This robust self-poled state has high piezoelectricity and additional poling reveals persistent memory effects. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- ItemThin film deposition using energetic ions(Basel : MDPI, 2010) Manova, D.; Gerlach, J.W.; Mändl, S.One important recent trend in deposition technology is the continuous expansion of available processes towards higher ion assistance with the subsequent beneficial effects to film properties. Nowadays, a multitude of processes, including laser ablation and deposition, vacuum arc deposition, ion assisted deposition, high power impulse magnetron sputtering and plasma immersion ion implantation, are available. However, there are obstacles to overcome in all technologies, including line-of-sight processes, particle contaminations and low growth rates, which lead to ongoing process refinements and development of new methods. Concerning the deposited thin films, control of energetic ion bombardment leads to improved adhesion, reduced substrate temperatures, control of intrinsic stress within the films as well as adjustment of surface texture, phase formation and nanotopography. This review illustrates recent trends for both areas; plasma process and solid state surface processes. © 2010 by the authors.
- ItemStructural Transitions in Ge2Sb2Te5 Phase Change Memory Thin Films Induced by Nanosecond UV Optical Pulses(Basel : MDPI, 2020) Behrens, Mario; Lotnyk, Andriy; Bryja, Hagen; Gerlach, Jürgen W.; Rauschenbach, BerndGe-Sb-Te-based phase change memory alloys have recently attracted a lot of attention due to their promising applications in the fields of photonics, non-volatile data storage, and neuromorphic computing. Of particular interest is the understanding of the structural changes and underlying mechanisms induced by short optical pulses. This work reports on structural changes induced by single nanosecond UV laser pulses in amorphous and epitaxial Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) thin films. The phase changes within the thin films are studied by a combined approach using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The results reveal different phase transitions such as crystalline-to-amorphous phase changes, interface assisted crystallization of the cubic GST phase and structural transformations within crystalline phases. In particular, it is found that crystalline interfaces serve as crystallization templates for epitaxial formation of metastable cubic GST phase upon phase transitions. By varying the laser fluence, GST thin films consisting of multiple phases and different amorphous to crystalline volume ratios can be achieved in this approach, offering a possibility of multilevel data storage and realization of memory devices with very low resistance drift. In addition, this work demonstrates amorphization and crystallization of GST thin films by using only one UV laser with one single pulse duration and one wavelength. Overall, the presented results offer new perspectives on switching pathways in Ge-Sb-Te-based materials and show the potential of epitaxial Ge-Sb-Te thin films for applications in advanced phase change memory concepts.
- ItemControlling Growth of Poly (Triethylene Glycol Acrylate-Co-Spiropyran Acrylate) Copolymer Liquid Films on a Hydrophilic Surface by Light and Temperature(Basel : MDPI, 2021) Ben-Miled, Aziz; Nabiyan, Afshin; Wondraczek, Katrin; Schacher, Felix H.; Wondraczek, LotharA quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) was employed for in situ investigations of the effect of temperature and light on the conformational changes of a poly (triethylene glycol acrylate-co-spiropyran acrylate) (P (TEGA-co-SPA)) copolymer containing 12–14% of spiropyran at the silica–water interface. By monitoring shifts in resonance frequency and in acoustic dissipation as a function of temperature and illumination conditions, we investigated the evolution of viscoelastic properties of the P (TEGA-co-SPA)-rich wetting layer growing on the sensor, from which we deduced the characteristic coil-to-globule transition temperature, corresponding to the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the PTEGA part. We show that the coil-to-globule transition of the adsorbed copolymer being exposed to visible or UV light shifts to lower LCST as compared to the bulk solution: the transition temperature determined acoustically on the surface is 4 to 8 K lower than the cloud point temperature reported by UV/VIS spectroscopy in aqueous solution. We attribute our findings to non-equilibrium effects caused by confinement of the copolymer chains on the surface. Thermal stimuli and light can be used to manipulate the film formation process and the film’s conformational state, which affects its subsequent response behavior.
- ItemInfluence of Polycation Composition on Electrochemical Film Formation(Basel : MDPI, 2018) Schneider, Sabine; Janssen, Corinna; Klindtworth, Elisabeth; Mergel, Olga; Möller, Martin; Plamper, FelixThe effect of polyelectrolyte composition on the electrodeposition onto platinum is investigated using a counterion switching approach. Film formation of preformed polyelectrolytes is triggered by oxidation of hexacyanoferrates(II) (ferrocyanide), leading to polyelectrolyte complexes, which are physically crosslinked by hexacyanoferrate(III) (ferricyanide) ions due to preferential ferricyanide/polycation interactions. In this study, the electrodeposition of three different linear polyelectrolytes, namely quaternized poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (i.e., poly{[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride}; PMOTAC), quaternized poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate] (i.e., poly{[2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride}; POTAC), quaternized poly[N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)methacrylamide] (i.e., poly{[3-(methacrylamido)propyl]trimethylammonium chloride}; PMAPTAC) and different statistical copolymers of these polyelectrolytes with N-(3-aminopropyl)methacrylamide (APMA), are studied. Hydrodynamic voltammetry utilizing a rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) shows the highest deposition efficiency DE for PMOTAC over PMAPTAC and over POTAC. Increasing incorporation of APMA weakens the preferred interaction of the quaternized units with the hexacyanoferrate(III) ions. At a sufficient APMA content, electrodeposition can thus be prevented. Additional electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance measurements reveal the formation of rigid polyelectrolyte films being highly crosslinked by the hexacyanoferrate(III) ions. Results indicate a different degree of water incorporation into these polyelectrolyte films. Hence, by adjusting the polycation composition, film properties can be tuned, while different chemistries can be incorporated into these electrodeposited thin hydrogel films.