Multifunctional Thin Film Series – serie

It has been more than 80 years since Valasek first recognized the existence of a dielectric analogue to ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity, in Rochelle salt. Much as with semiconductor research, the initial studies of ferroelectric materials focused on homogeneous materials. Unlike semiconductor research, however, which rapidly expanded into n- homogeneous structures and devices, investigations of compositionally graded and layered ferroelectrics have been relatively recent endeavors. Indeed, many of the most significant results and analysis pertaining to polarization-graded ferroelectrics have only appeared in publication within the last ten years. Further extensions of these concepts to the general class of order-parameter graded ferroic materials, as depicted on the cover of this book, have (with one exception) been totally lacking. It was thus with a great deal of excitement that we assembled the manuscript for this book. The primary focus of this study is directed toward polarization-graded ferroelectrics and their active components, transpacitors; however, the findings presented here are quite general. The theory of graded 2 and 5; whereas, much of the ferroics is put on a solid foundation in chapters introductory material relies more heavily upon analogy. This was done so as to provide the reader with an intuitive approach to graded ferroics, thereby enabling them to see heterogeneous ferroics as clearly logical extensions of passive semiconductor junction devices such as p-n and n-p diodes and their active manifestations, transistors, to: transpacitors, transductors, translastics, and ultimately to the general active ferroic elements, transponents.

Oxides form a broad subject area of research and technology development which encompasses different disciplines such as materials science, solid state chemistry, physics etc. The aim of this book is to demonstrate the interplay of these fields and to provide an introduction to the techniques and methodologies involving film growth, characterization and device processing. The literature in this field is thus fairly scattered in different research journals covering one or the other aspect of the specific activity. This situation calls for a book that will consolidate this information and thus enable a beginner as well as an expert to get an overall perspective of the field, its foundations, and its projected progress.

This book presents the recent advances in the field of nanoscale science and engineering of ferroelectric thin films. It comprises two main parts, i.e. electrical characterization in nanoscale ferroelectric capacitor, and nano domain manipulation and visualization in ferroelectric materials. Well­ known le'adingexperts both in relevant academia and industry over the world (U.S., Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Korea) were invited to contribute to each chapter. The first part under the title of electrical characterization in nanoscale ferroelectric capacitors starts with Chapter 1, "Testing and characterization of ferroelectric thin film capacitors," written by Dr. I. K. Yoo. The author provides a comprehensive review on basic concepts and terminologies of ferroelectric properties and their testing methods. This chapter also covers reliability issues in FeRAMs that are crucial for commercialization of high­ density memory products. In Chapter 2, "Size effects in ferroelectric film capacitors: role ofthe film thickness and capacitor size," Dr. I. Stolichnov discusses the size effects both in in-plane and out-of-plane dimensions of the ferroelectric thin film. The author successfully relates the electric performance and domain dynamics with proposed models of charge injection and stress induced phase transition. The author's findings present both a challenging problem and the clue to its solution of reliably predicting the switching properties for ultra-thin ferroelectric capacitors. In Chapter 3, "Ferroelectric thin films for memory applications: nanoscale characterization by scanning force microscopy," Prof. A.

It has been more than 80 years since Valasek first recognized the existence of a dielectric analogue to ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity, in Rochelle salt. Much as with semiconductor research, the initial studies of ferroelectric materials focused on homogeneous materials. Unlike semiconductor research, however, which rapidly expanded into n- homogeneous structures and devices, investigations of compositionally graded and layered ferroelectrics have been relatively recent endeavors. Indeed, many of the most significant results and analysis pertaining to polarization-graded ferroelectrics have only appeared in publication within the last ten years. Further extensions of these concepts to the general class of order-parameter graded ferroic materials, as depicted on the cover of this book, have (with one exception) been totally lacking. It was thus with a great deal of excitement that we assembled the manuscript for this book. The primary focus of this study is directed toward polarization-graded ferroelectrics and their active components, transpacitors; however, the findings presented here are quite general. The theory of graded 2 and 5; whereas, much of the ferroics is put on a solid foundation in chapters introductory material relies more heavily upon analogy. This was done so as to provide the reader with an intuitive approach to graded ferroics, thereby enabling them to see heterogeneous ferroics as clearly logical extensions of passive semiconductor junction devices such as p-n and n-p diodes and their active manifestations, transistors, to: transpacitors, transductors, translastics, and ultimately to the general active ferroic elements, transponents.

Oxides form a broad subject area of research and technology development which encompasses different disciplines such as materials science, solid state chemistry, physics etc. The aim of this book is to demonstrate the interplay of these fields and to provide an introduction to the techniques and methodologies involving film growth, characterization and device processing. The literature in this field is thus fairly scattered in different research journals covering one or the other aspect of the specific activity. This situation calls for a book that will consolidate this information and thus enable a beginner as well as an expert to get an overall perspective of the field, its foundations, and its projected progress.