Epitaxial integration of perovskite-based multifunctional oxides on silicon

We review recent developments in the epitaxial integration of multifunctional oxide thin film heterostructures on silicon (Si). Perovskite oxides have been extensively studied for use in multifunctional devices due to a wide range of functional properties. To realize multifunctional oxide devices, these multifunctional films should be integrated directly on Si, maintaining high crystalline quality. Molecular beam epitaxy growth of epitaxial SrTiO3 (STO) on Si provides a template for incorporating the epitaxial oxide films on Si. However, the dissimilar physical nature of Si from most oxide materials influences the properties of oxide films on Si, especially with regard to structural defects and thermal strains. Therefore, in this review, we present a comprehensive overview of epitaxial integration of various model oxide systems on Si, addressing how STO/Si can be used to explore the novel phenomenon of oxide heterostructures as well as to realize multifunctional devices. (c) 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.