STRAIN DRIVEN NOVEL LAYERED OXIDE THIN FILMS WITH UNIQUE FUNCTIONALITIES
Abstract
The Goal of this proposal is to discover new and novel layered oxide phases with new functionalities for various applications, which will enable us to better understand oxide interfaces and strain-driven phenomena, and to allow the true power of oxide electronics to be realized. The proposed research builds upon our recent success in designing and processing a new family of layered oxide structures with coexistence of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties (i.e., multiferroics). The PI proposes to research new branches as well as delve more into the fundamentals of the layered-structure formation. The rich selections and anisotropic nature of the oxide layered structures could bring in unlimited designs of new layered structures with a lot of interesting properties and functionalities, including but not limited to, superconductivity, thermoelectricity, magnetoresistance, ferroelectricity, semiconductors with tunable bandgap and many others. Our demonstration has opened a new avenue in designing/creating new layered structures for unique functionalities. These new multiferroic materials could find applications for memories for future data storage devices with low power and small size, and sensors and electronics for naval missions. The main research objectives/tasks are: (1) To explore new layered structures based on materials design and processing condition tuning (other new Bi-based layered systems); (2) To understand the strain and interface effects on the formation of new layered structures (exploring the ultrathin film form); (3) To identify new functionalities and device potentials. A unique in situ TEM (transmission electron microscopy) approach will be implemented for the fundamental formation mechanism studies, including in situ heating (annealing) and in situ STM (scanning tunneling microscopy for indentation and electrical measurement) tools within a TEM. This unique tool set will allow us examine the thermal stability, phase stability, and electrical property variation under strain. In addition, high resolution aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) / electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) characterization will be applied for analyzing the atomic scale interface defects and bonding states that could be critical for triggering the formation of these new layered phases. Finally we will demonstrate new functionalities in new layered oxide systems to lay a solid foundation for future devices incorporating these novel layered oxides.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141512362
Entities
People
- Haiyan Wang
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Texas Engineering Experiment Station
- United States Navy