High throughput screening of ferroelectric thin film libraries

Abstract

High throughput methods can significantly speed up the search for advanced materials in a multidimensional configuration space, hence keeping innovation cycles short. In the search for improved materials, high throughput methods are wanted to optimize composition and processing of promising systems, and to find candidate compounds. Such a method is described here which is applicable to the development of ferroelectric thin films. Libraries with samples of varying chemical composition were produced via the sol-gel route on structured and metallized silicon wafers. To determine the permittivity of the films, automated measurements of film thickness and capacity were established. Furthermore, ferroelectric hysterisis measurements were performed on samples with a particularly high permittivity. This high throughput route, which allows for synthesis and characterization of over hundred samples per day, was proved and tested by means of lead zirconate titanate as a standard material. It was possible to obtain films with remarkable high permittivity and low coercive field at optimal lead zirconate/lead titanate ratio and by compensating for lead loss during processing by finding the optimal lead excess added to the precursor solutions

Centralized Data Management in Materials Research Projects with Several Partners at Different Locations

“…The materials were synthesized and tested as described by Schrçter et al [16]. As factors that may correlate with the dielectric constant, the composition of the materials, i.e., the amounts of the elements K, Na, Nb, Li, and Ta, the pyrolysis, and sintering temperature together with the pyrolysis time have been considered.…”

Accelerated processing route for KNN based piezoceramics

“…To efficiently catch up with the performance levels of PZT and to assess sophisticated material systems, experimentation approaches faster than the traditional large volume mixed oxide route are required. High throughput routes [14][15][16][17] for the assessment of electronic and piezoelectric materials feature a throughput of up to several hundred compositions per week. However, they deviate strongly from the mixed oxide route, which is the most likely route for future mass production of KNN based ceramic compounds.…”