The Piezoresponse in WO[sub.3] Thin Films Due to N[sub.2]-Filled Nanovoids Enrichment by Atom Probe Tomography
Tungsten trioxide (WO[sub.3]) is a versatile n-type semiconductor with outstanding chromogenic properties highly used to fabricate sensors and electrochromic devices. We present a comprehensive experimental study related to piezoresponse with piezoelectric coefficient d[sub.33] = 35 pmV[sup.−1] on W...
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Published in | Materials Vol. 16; no. 4 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
MDPI AG
01.02.2023
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Tungsten trioxide (WO[sub.3]) is a versatile n-type semiconductor with outstanding chromogenic properties highly used to fabricate sensors and electrochromic devices. We present a comprehensive experimental study related to piezoresponse with piezoelectric coefficient d[sub.33] = 35 pmV[sup.−1] on WO[sub.3] thin films ~200 nm deposited using RF-sputtering onto alumina (Al[sub.2]O[sub.3]) substrate with post-deposit annealing treatment of 400 °C in a 3% H[sub.2]/N[sub.2]-forming gas environment. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms a mixture of orthorhombic and tetragonal phases of WO[sub.3] with domains with different polarization orientations and hysteresis behavior as observed by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Furthermore, using atom probe tomography (APT), the microstructure reveals the formation of N[sub.2]-filled nanovoids that acts as strain centers producing a local deformation of the WO[sub.3] lattice into a non-centrosymmetric structure, which is related to piezoresponse observations. |
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ISSN: | 1996-1944 1996-1944 |
DOI: | 10.3390/ma16041387 |