Electronic excitation induced modifications in the electrical properties of ZnO-BaTiO3 nanocomposite films

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 2024-07, Vol.552, p.165358, Article 165358
• Main Authors: Kundalia, Hetal, Vyas, Brinda, Udeshi, Malay, Ravalia, Ashish, Asokan, K, Kuberkar, D.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antiferroelectric property; Ion irradiation; Nano composite; RBS; Thin films
• ISSN: 0168-583X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2024.165358

Nanostructured composite films with 0.8ZnO – 0.2BaTiO3/Al2O3 (ZB2) composition were irradiated using 200 MeV Ag+15 ions with 5 × 1010 ions/cm2 to 5 × 1012 ions/cm2 fluences to understand the variation in anti-ferroelectric (AFE) property and hysteric I-V behavior. XRD data of all the pristine and irradiated films show the presence of compressive strain and dominance of ZnO phase. AFM reveals the evolution of unevenly spaced pattern separated by brink like structure and the space between brinks increase with ion fluence. RBS measurement confirms film thickness and elemental composition of pristine and irradiated ZB2 films. Irradiation induced modifications in unconventional double hysteresis loop in ferroelectric (P-E) measurements is discussed in the light of formation of structural defect and oxygen vacancies and its role in domain wall motion. Variations in the resistive switching in I-V hysteresis behavior was understood in the context of oxygen vacancies and defect formation by ion irradiation.