Spin cast ferroelectric beta poly(vinylidene fluoride) thin films via rapid thermal annealing

We describe a method of fabricating ferroelectric beta-type poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) thin films on Au substrate by the humidity controlled spin casting combined with rapid thermal treatment. Our method produces thin uniform ferroelectric PVDF film with ordered beta crystals consisting of characteristic needlelike microdomains. A capacitor with a 160 nm thick ferroelectric PVDF film exhibits the remanent polarization and coercive voltage of similar to 7.0 mu C/cm(2) and 8 V, respectively, with the temperature stability of up to 160 degrees C. A ferroelectric field effect transistor also shows a drain current bistablility of 100 at zero gate voltage with +/- 20 V gate voltage sweep. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physicsopen485