Intelligent Processing of Ferroelectric Thin Films.

Abstract : This report details work that was performed at Clemson University over the fourth year of a four-year program involving intelligent processing of ferroelectric thin films. Since ferroelectric and electrooptic materials are known to possess properties that can vary widely due to form factor and processing method, studies were carried out by producing electrooptic thin films and bulk ceramics from the same acetate precursors via a liquid chemical MOD (metal organic decomposition) process and then characterizing their chemical, electrical, physical and electrooptic properties. It was desirable that a processing method compatible with both spin and dip-coated thin films as well as bulk ceramics made from coprecipitated powders be used in order to quantitatively compare their respective properties. The dielectric properties of electrooptic thin films were varied by mechanically altering the stresses placed upon the films. Comparisons were made among thin films under applied bending stresses of different magnitude. Properties measured were dielectric constant, saturation polarization, remanent polarization, coercive field and unit cell d-spacing.