Interface-mediated ferroelectricity in PMN-PT/PZT flexible bilayer via pulsed laser deposition

Ferroelectric thin-film bilayers of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT)/PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) were grown on a flexible substrate of mica using pulsed laser deposition. Growth of the bilayer was induced with a thin film of LaNiO3 (LNO) single crystal, which was deposited on a mica substrate through van der Waals epitaxy. The LNO thin film also serves as the electrode for the bilayer device. The growth of the LNO thin film along the ⟨ 100 ⟩ orientation adopts a “Stranski–Krastanov” mechanism, governed by the relaxation of elastic energy between LNO/mica. Compared with the single layers of PMN-PT or PZT, or the bilayer of PZT/PMN-PT, the PMN-PT/PZT bilayer exhibits enhanced ferroelectric properties, with remnant polarization up to 72 μC/cm2. In addition, polarization in the PMN-PT/PZT bilayer exhibits excellent resistance against mechanical bending fatigue over 108 switching cycles. Such improved performances are ascribed to spontaneous polarizations enhanced by the residual stress at the PMN-PT/PZT heterointerface, increased interfacial potential barrier against leakage, and suppressed diffusion of Nb or Mg across the interface.