An artificial dead-layer to protect the ferroelectric thin films from electron injection

For ferroelectric (FE) thin films, working in the harsh environment of a high electric field (E) or high temperature (T) remains a great challenge. As a post-treatment approach, dead-layer engineering exhibits a certain generality and could improve the dielectric strength (Eb) via depositing a specially designed artificial dead-layer on most of the as-prepared FE thin films. However, physical essence of the artificial dead-layer needs further analysis. Great challenges are the abundant and complicated conduction mechanisms in the FE-based thin films and the lack of adequate research on modulating these conduction mechanisms by this artificial dead-layer. As a vital part of the conduction mechanisms, electron injection can be easily triggered under E and thermal excitation that almost appeared in all FE-based thin films. Here, the ultrathin artificial dead-layer of Ca0.2Zr0.8O1.8 (CSZ) was used to restrain multiple electron injection in low-Eb LaNiO3/Ba0.58Sr0.42TiO3 (LNO/BST) FE thin films, including thermal emission and tunneling effect, under a high E and T, even under an opposite E. It was found that the suppressing effect on the multiple electron-injection mechanisms via the artificial dead-layer mainly comes from its wall-like energy-barrier structure, which is composed of two opposite and high interface energy barriers (BST/CSZ: 2.95 eV, CSZ/Au: 3.92 eV) and a wide depletion layer. The generality of protecting the ferroelectric thin films from electron injection via the artificial dead-layer was discussed.

Automated summary

This study successfully suppressed multiple electron injection mechanisms occurring under high electric fields and high temperatures using an ultra-thin artificial dead-layer, thus protecting the stability of ferroelectric thin films.