Abstract
As a promising flexible nonvolatile memory technology, we present the direct fabrication of epitaxial lead zirconium titanate (Pb Zr0.2Ti0.8O3-(PZT)) on flexible mica substrate, for the first time. When grown on mica, the film is less susceptible to substrate clamping and can operate even at elevated temperatures. These flexible ferroelectric PZT based nonvolatile memory elements not only retain performance and reliability comparable to those on rigid counterparts but also exhibit remarkable mechanical properties with robust operation in bent states (bending radii up to 5 mm) and in cycling tests (1000 times). This study marks the technological advancement towards the realization of much-awaited flexible yet single-crystalline non-volatile memory elements for the design and development of flexible, lightweight and next-generation smart devices with potential applications in robotics, automotive, healthcare electronics, industrial and military systems.