Multi-functional oxide thin film materials development

Current microelectronic devices and systems offer an ever-increasing complement of capabilities packaged in an ever-decreasing physical size, and future prospects on envisioned capability and functionality show no indications of slowing this trend. To meet these technological demands, it is likely that a new set of materials will need to accompany new device designs. Our research addresses this need through structure-process-property investigations of multi-functional oxide films. Oxide films are chosen since they represent a family of materials offering a range of physical properties useful for electronic, optical, acoustic, sensing, energy-conserving, and bio-electronic applications. Furthermore, these materials offer some of the most pronounced non-linear behavior of all material classes known. In this talk I will give an overview of some of our groups most recent research. Work on integration of epitaxial piezoelectric materials with flexible substrates, novel gas sensors, and high-energy density capacitor materials will be presented.