Significantly Enhanced Ferroelectric and Dielectric Properties in BaTiO 3 /LaNiO 3 Superlattices

BaTiO3/LaNiO3 (BTO/LNO) ferroelectric superlattices with different stacking periods have been prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Compared to the pure BTO films, the BTO/LNO superlattices have significantly enhanced ferroelectric and dielectric properties. This is because, in addition to the strain effect, the accumulated oxygen vacancies in each ultra-thin LNO layer can change the depolarization field and reduce the leakage current in the superlattices. Therefore, these results indicate that the use of ultra-thin metallic oxide layers as the constituent material of the ferroelectric superlattices is a feasible and effective way to improve the properties of superlattices.