Enhanced energy storage properties of epitaxial (Ba0.955Ca0.045)(Zr0.17Ti0.83)O3 ferroelectric thin films

(Ba0.955Ca0.045)(Zr0.17Ti0.83)O-3 [BCZT] epitaxial were grown on La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO)-coated (100)-oriented MgO single crystal substrates by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Herein, we report crystal structure, ferroelectric, piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), and energy storage properties near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition of [Ba0.850Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.90O3] solid solution. Epitaxial growth of the films was confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra. Room-temperature Raman spectroscopy confirms perovskite phase of BCZT films. Room-temperature polarization-electric field (P-E) loops confirm the ferroelectric nature of BCZT films. Ferroelectric hysteresis loops demonstrate high saturation polarization (P-max similar to 97.96 mu C/cm(2)) and remanant polarization (P-r similar to 70.1 mu C/cm(2)) at an applied maximum electric field similar to 2.77 MV/cm. The optimized BCZT epitaxial thin films have shown moderate dielectric properties at different measured frequencies (10-100 kHz). Nanoscale piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) images demonstrate switchable ferroelectric polarization of these thin films above +/- 9 V of dc voltage applied. Energy storage properties measured from ferroelectric loops revealed a high discharge curve energy density similar to 27.5 J/cm(3) at a maximum electric field of 2.77 MV/cm. Epitaxial-grown BCZT films are suitable candidate materials for capacitor applications.

Automated summary

In this study, epitaxial (Ba0.955Ca0.045)(Zr0.17Ti0.83)O-3 [BCZT] thin films were grown on MgO single crystal substrates coated with La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The crystal structure, ferroelectric, piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), and energy storage properties of the BCZT films were investigated. The results showed that the BCZT films had good epitaxial growth, perovskite crystal structure, and high saturation polarization and remanent polarization, making them suitable for capacitor applications.