Ferroelectric properties of YMnO3 thin films prepared by chemical solutiondeposition

The YMnO3 thin films were prepared on platinized silicon substrates by chem ical solution deposition. The films were crystallized by annealing at 850 d egreesC for 1 hour under various atmospheres, i.e., O-2, air, Ar, and vacuu m. Effects of annealing atmospheres on the crystallization behavior and ele ctrical properties were investigated. Crystallization behavior of an YMnO3 thin film critically depended on the oxygen partial pressure of the anneali ng atmosphere. The YMnO3 thin film annealed in Ar showed a superior crystal linity and a strongest c-axis preferred orientation. Leakage current densit y decreased with lowering oxygen partial pressure of the annealing atmosphe re. The C-V and P-E ferroelectric hysteresis were found only in the YMnO3 t hin film annealed under Ar atmosphere. Leakage current density, dielectric constant(epsilon (r))(,) remanent polarization(P-r) and coercive field(Ec) of the film annealed in Ar were 1.7x10(-8) A/cm(2) at 1 volt, 25, 1.08 muC/ cm(2), and 100 kV/cm, respectively.