Atomically Resolved In Situ/Operando (S)TEM of MIM-based Oxide Devices and Implementation of EBIC in STEM for Nanoscale Electrical Characterization
Project Members: Oscar Recalde (PhD Student), Leopoldo Molina-Luna (PI)
Description:
Oxide-based devices for electronic applications play an important role in the development of faster and reliable information technology. Currently advanced thin film growth methods allow the miniaturization of thin film devices that can reach thicknesses of even a few unit cells. Therefore, the investigation of such heterostructure devices at the nanoscale is nowadays crucial for the understanding of fundamental mechanisms. In this regard, transmission electron microscopy techniques are the perfect tools that allow the characterization of thin films down to the atomic scale. Moreover, the recent development of MEMS-based chips enables the study of materials in working or so called “operando” conditions inside a TEM, i.e. the application of a stimuli during TEM observation. Polarization in dielectrics, phase segregation in perovskite solar cells, and defect localization in RRAMs under electrical and heating stimuli are some examples of our current research.
