Current research · imec
Ferroelectric thin films on silicon.
At imec, I’m investigating how to measure the ferroelectric behaviour of barium titanate along the plane of a thin film. The aim is to understand how this relates to its electro-optical response.
The question
How can we measure polarization switching along a thin film—and relate it to the way an electric field changes its optical properties?
Context
Why barium titanate?
Barium titanate, or BaTiO₃, is a ferroelectric material: an applied electric field can switch its polarization. It also has a strong electro-optical response, meaning an electric field can change its refractive index. Integrating thin films of this material with silicon is of interest for devices that control light on a chip.
In devices with lateral electrode geometries, the response along the plane of the film matters. That makes reliable in-plane characterization an important part of understanding the material.
Research direction
Establishing the measurement.
The first part of the work is to develop a reliable approach to in-plane ferroelectric measurements. The thesis brief includes investigating electrode geometry and materials, alongside the influence of crystallinity, lattice orientation, strain, and stoichiometry.
Another aim is to relate the electrical measurements to the electro-optical response of the films. The work is at an early stage, with the measurement approach still being developed.
In progress. I’ll add the measurement approach and results here as the research develops.
Academic context
Research at imec.
Part of the Master of Nanoscience, Nanotechnology and Nanoengineering at KU Leuven.
Thesis title: In-plane Ferroelectric Characterization of Epitaxial BaTiO₃ Thin Films on Silicon.
imec supervision: Marco Gambin and Dr. Marina Baryshnikova.
Academic promotor: Prof. Clement Merckling.