Evaluation of Crystal Orientation for (K,Na)NbO3 Films Using X-ray Diffraction Reciprocal Space Map and Relationship between Crystal Orientation and Piezoelectric Coefficient

Abstract

We have found an effective method for the evaluation of the crystal orientation of (K,Na)NbO3 (KNN) films in the (K,Na)NbO3/Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si structure using X-ray diffraction (XRD) reciprocal space maps. Previously, the crystal structure and orientation of such (K,Na)NbO3 films were evaluated using 2θ/θ XRD, and were considered to be the pseudocubic perovskite structure with preferential (001) orientation and no (111) orientation. Here, we applied the new method using XRD reciprocal space maps, and discovered that the (K,Na)NbO3 films had some degree of KNN(111) orientation. We calculated the KNN(001)- and KNN(111)-orientation volume fractions for the (K,Na)NbO3 films from the (101) diffraction peaks originating from the KNN(001)- and KNN(111)-orientation elements in the XRD reciprocal space maps, considering the calibration factors obtained from pole-figure simulations, and examined the relationship between the crystal orientation and d31 piezoelectric coefficient in the (K,Na)NbO3 films. The results indicated that the d31 piezoelectric coefficient increases with increasing (001)-orientation volume fraction.