Stylo-Epitaxial Piezoelectric and Ferroelectric Devices and Method of Manufacturing

A method of making a piezoelectric device comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• coating the substrate with an amorphous coating;
• growing a crystalline textured layer on the amorphous coating;
• the textured
• growth resulting in granular regions;
• epitaxially growing a first electrode comprising a thin layer of metallic material having a crystal lattice structure divided into granular regions;
• the granular regions of the textured layer and the first electrode being in registration;
• epitaxially growing a seed layer;
• the seed layer being epitaxially deposited so as to form a column-like structure on top of the granular regions of the first electrode and textured layer;
• epitaxially growing at least one ferroelectric material layer exhibiting spontaneous polarization on the seed layer;
• the ferroelectric material layer, the seed layer, and first electrode each having granular regions in registration with the preceding granular region;
• the ferroelectric material growth resulting in a high degree of polarization normal to the growth plane.

A ferroelectric device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a textured layer;
• a first electrode comprising a thin layer of metallic material having a crystal lattice structure divided into granular regions;
• at least one PZT layer exhibiting spontaneous polarization epitaxially deposited on the first electrode and resulting in a PZT stylo-epitaxy;
• the ferroelectric material layer, and first electrode each having granular regions in which column-like structures form;
• the granular regions of the ferroelectric material producing a high degree of polarization normal to the growth plane.