Solution-process coating of vertical ZnO nanowires with ferroelectrics

We have developed a modified misted deposition process by combining substrate and mist heating for the deposition of ferroelectrics on 3D nanostructures. Arrays of vertical ZnO nanowires, sputter coated with Pd bottom electrodes, are used as the substrate. Scanning electron microscopy investigations show that conformal coating of ferroelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O ₃ (PZT) with good step coverage is obtained at deposition temperatures above 140°C. The substrate heating also eliminates the common 'bundling' problem of the nanowire arrays. On the basis of data on x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and P-E hysteresis of PZT films on flat substrates, we obtain the optimum substrate temperature window to be 180-220°C, in terms of best step coverage and an evident ferroelectricity. This is a significant step towards the end-goal of fully integrated ZnO nanowires with ferroelectric capacitors, which may be useful for the light-emitting applications of ZnO.