Electronic Property Engineering in a Ferroelectric Oxide: Nanostructuring and Advanced Characterization.

Abstract

The advancement of electronic nanotechnology hinges on the use of innovative materials and new conceptual approaches for devices to meet the demand of miniaturization, energy efficiency, and sustainability. Ferroelectric domain walls, with their sub-nanometer feature size and unique properties, are promising candidates as active building blocks of future electronics. By utilizing their intrinsic properties, the walls themselves can function as devices, capable of emulating key electronic components such as transistors and diodes at a bulk level. This thesis addresses different fundamental challenges associated with the utilization of ferroelectric domain walls, including advanced characterization of domain walls, their behavior in systems with reduced physical dimensions, and the creation of basic device structures.

The different projects addressed in this work are part of the ERC project “ATRONICS”, contributing to the team’s goal to provide novel functional systems for the development of atomic-scale electronics.