Controlled Ti seed layer assisted growth and field emission properties of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 nanowire arrays

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2013 Jul 10;5(13):6261-7. doi: 10.1021/am4012879. Epub 2013 Jun 24.

Abstract

We report on the directed upright growth of ferroelectric (FE) Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) nanowire (NW) arrays with large aspect ratios of >60 using a Ti seed layer assisted hydrothermal process over large surface areas on ITO/glass substrates. In a two-step growth process, Ti seed layer of low surface roughness with a thickness of ~500 nm and grain size of ~100 nm was first deposited by radio frequency (RF) sputtering which was subsequently used as substrates for the growth of highly dense, single crystalline PZT NWs by controlled nucleation. The electron emission properties of the PZT NWs were investigated using the as-grown NWs as FE cathodes. A low turn-on field of ~3.4 V/μm was obtained from the NW arrays, which is impressively lower than that from other reported values. The results reported in this work give direction to the development of a facile growth technique for PZT NWs over large surfaces and also are of interest to the generation of high current electron beam from FE NW based cathodes for field emitter applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.