Research progress of applications of freestanding single oxide thin film

Flexible electronics have aroused great interest of researchers because of their wide applications in information storage, energy harvesting and wearable device. To realize extraordinary functionalities, freestanding single crystal oxide thin film is utilized due to its super elasticity, easy-to-transfer, and outstanding ferro/electric/magnetic properties. Using the state-of-art synthesis methods, functional oxide films of various materials can be obtained in freestanding phase, which eliminates the restrictions from growth substrate and is transferable to other flexible layers. In this work, we first introduce wet etching and mechanical exfoliation methods to prepare freestanding single crystal oxide thin film, then review their applications in ferroelectric memory, piezoelectric energy harvester, dielectric energy storage, correlated oxide interface, and novel freestanding oxide structure. The recent research progress and future outlooks are finally discussed.

Automated summary

Flexible electronics have attracted significant interest in the research community due to their broad applications in information storage, energy harvesting, and wearable devices. Researchers have utilized freestanding single crystal oxide thin films to achieve extraordinary functionalities, thanks to their super elasticity, ease of transfer, and exceptional ferro/electric/magnetic properties. By employing state-of-the-art synthesis methods, functional oxide films of various materials can be obtained in a freestanding phase, eliminating restrictions from growth substrates and enabling transfer to other flexible layers. This work introduces wet etching and mechanical exfoliation methods for preparing freestanding single crystal oxide thin films, reviews their applications in ferroelectric memory, piezoelectric energy harvesters, dielectric energy storage, correlated oxide interfaces, and novel freestanding oxide structures, and provides a discussion on recent research progress and future outlooks.