Effect of PLT Buffer Layers on the PZT Thin Films for Scaling-Down Ferroelectric Materials

Abstract

AbstractThe Hysteresis characteristics of below 400 nm- thick Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films grown on Pt (111) /Ti/SiO2/Si substrates have showed very poor with remanent polarization of 1∼3 μC/cm2 in our previous research. To study the further scaling-down, we introduced the method of our previous research that the (Pb0.72La0.28)Ti0.94O3 (PLT) buffer layers play an important role in enhancing the ferroelectric properties of the PZT thin films. As a result, the remanent polarization of 300 nm-thick PZT thin films with the 10 nm-thick PLT buffer layers have showed 32 μC/cm2 at applied voltage of 8 V and 24 μC/cm2 at applied voltage of 5 V. Inserted the PLT seed layers between the PZT thin films and substrate, the hysteresis characteristics of PZT thin films were improved a lot. The dielectric and leakage current properties of PZT thin films were also investigated.