Layered SbTe nanoflakes as chalcogenide dielectrics

Dielectric nanoflakes of SbTe represent an important advance in science and technology due to their extraordinary properties. Polycrystalline layered SbTe nanoflakes have been successfully synthesized via a high-throughput chemical route at 60 C. The frequency and temperature dependence of the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the layered SbTe nanoflakes have been measured in the frequency range from 30 Hz to 758,000 Hz and temperature range from 313 K to 373 K. As-synthesized SbTe nanoflakes are shown to be promising alternative dielectrics because of their high dielectric constant (ε′ ≈ 7.3 to 6022) and low dielectric loss (tan δ ≈ 0.2 to 9.2). These higher values of ε′ and lower values of tan δ of SbTe nanoflakes confirm that capacitors with capacity (C) of ∼5.2 pF to 4336 pF may be fabricated for storing renewable energy. Raman spectroscopy confirms that the peak located at ∼142 cm corresponds to one in-plane vibrational mode (E ) of layered Te-Sb-Te-Sb-Te lattice vibration. © 2013 TMS.