Journal article
2D, Physical‐Vapor Growth of Low‐Coercivity, Epitaxial Ferroelectric Sc 0.3 Al 0.7 N on Scalable Substrates
Advanced materials (Weinheim), v 37(33), 2501931
09 Jun 2025
PMID: 40489209
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Ferroelectric nitrides attract immense attention due to their excellent electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties as well as for their compatibility with scalable semiconductor technology. The availability of high‐quality nitride films possessing tailorable coercive voltage and field, however, remains challenging, and is a key for deeper exploration of switching dynamics and practical applications in low‐power devices. 2D growth of epitaxial thin (≲20 nm) c ‐axis‐oriented Sc 0.3 Al 0.7 N films is reported on Al 2 O 3 (0001) and on electrically conductive 4 H ‐SiC (0001), obtained by reflection high‐energy electron diffraction‐monitored layer‐by‐layer physical vapor deposition growth. Films exhibit high quality, as evidenced by rocking curve full‐width at half‐maximum (FWHM) as narrow as ≈0.02°, and an atomically abrupt film‐substrate interface with low dislocation density. The coercive field of Sc 0.3 Al 0.7 N/4 H ‐SiC (0001) heterostructures is as low as 2.75 MV cm −1 . Moreover, a high endurance of >10 9 cycles at saturation polarization is achieved. Density functional theory calculations of a model system reveal that an improved crystal quality, including atomically abrupt ferroelectric nitride‐metal interface, facilitates the reduction in the switching barriers, and leads to reduced coercivity. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining high‐quality epitaxial ferroelectric nitride films on highly scalable and radiation‐resistant substrates, and their potential for energy‐efficient electronic devices.
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Details
- Title
- 2D, Physical‐Vapor Growth of Low‐Coercivity, Epitaxial Ferroelectric Sc 0.3 Al 0.7 N on Scalable Substrates
- Creators
- Yu Yun - Drexel University, Mechanical Engineering and MechanicsLiyan Wu - Drexel University, Mechanical Engineering and MechanicsDrew Behrendt - University of PennsylvaniaPariasadat Musavigharavi - University of Central FloridaDhiren K. Pradhan - University of PennsylvaniaYunfei He - University of PennsylvaniaYichen Guo - Department of Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics Drexel University Philadelphia PA 19104‐2875 USARajeev Kumar Rai - University of PennsylvaniaSongsong Zhou - University of PennsylvaniaCraig L. Johnson - Drexel University, Office of Research (and Innovation)Eric Stach - University of PennsylvaniaJoshua C. Agar - Drexel University, Mechanical Engineering and MechanicsBrendan M. Hanrahan - DEVCOM Army Research LaboratoryDeep Jariwala - University of PennsylvaniaRoy H. Olsson - University of PennsylvaniaAndrew M. Rappe - University of PennsylvaniaJonathan E. Spanier - Drexel University, Physics
- Publication Details
- Advanced materials (Weinheim), v 37(33), 2501931
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 10
- Grant note
- DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory
Y.Y., L.W., and D.B. contributed equally to this work. The authors acknowledge support from the Army Research Laboratory via the Collaborative for Hierarchical Agile and Responsive Materials (CHARM) under cooperative agreements W911NF-19-2-0119 and W911NF-24-2-0100. This work was carried out in part at the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, which is supported by the NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure Program under grant NNCI-2025608. J.E.S. also acknowledges support from the Army Research Office under W911NF-21-1-0126. D.J., Y.H., and D.K.P. acknowledge primary support for this work from AFRL via the FAST program. D.J. also acknowledges support from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) GHz-THz program FA9550-23-1-0391.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physics; Office of Research (and Innovation); Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001508046800001
- Other Identifier
- 991022056939904721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
- Chemistry, Physical
- Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
- Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
- Physics, Applied
- Physics, Condensed Matter