Ordered arrays of lead zirconium titanate nanorings

Byrne, D. and Schilling, A. and Scott, J. F. and Gregg, J. M. (2008) Ordered arrays of lead zirconium titanate nanorings. Nanotechnology, 19 (16). p. 165608. DOI 10.1088/0957-4484/19/16/165608

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Abstract

Periodic arrays of nanorings of morphotropic phase boundary lead zirconium titanate (PZT) have been successfully fabricated using a novel self-assembly technique: close-packed monolayers of latex nanospheres were deposited onto Pt-coated silicon substrates, and then plasma cleaned to form ordered arrays of isolated nanospheres, not in contact with each other. Subsequent pulsed laser deposition of PZT, high angle argon ion etching and thermal annealing created the arrays of isolated nanorings, with diameters of [?]100 nm and wall thicknesses of [?]10 nm. Energy dispersive x-ray analysis confirms that the rings are compositionally morphotropic phase boundary PZT, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging of lattice fringes demonstrates some periodicities consistent with perovskite rather than pyrochlore material. The dimensions of these nanorings, and the expected 'soft' behaviour of the ferroelectric material from which they are made, means that they offer the most likely opportunity to date for observing whether or not vortex arrangements of electrical dipoles, analogous to those seen in ferromagnetic nanostructures, actually exist.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	08AREP; IA57;
Subjects:	03 - Mineral Sciences
Divisions:	03 - Mineral Sciences
Journal or Publication Title:	Nanotechnology
Volume:	19
Page Range:	p. 165608
Identification Number:	10.1088/0957-4484/19/16/165608
Depositing User:	Sarah Humbert
Date Deposited:	01 Jun 2009 16:03
Last Modified:	23 Jul 2013 09:55
URI:	http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/1049

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