Fabrication of excess PbO-doped Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films using radio frequency magnetron sputtering method

Abstract

As a method for lowering deposition temperature, the effect of 50% excess Pb addition in Pb(Zr0.52T0.48)O3 ceramic target on Pb(Zr0.52T0.48)O3 thin films (4000–5000 Å thickness) was studied. The PZT thin films were grown on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) substrates by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering method. The existing phase of PZT thin films was confirmed with x-ray diffraction analysis, and growth morphologies were studied with scanning electron microscopy. At the substrate temperature of 440 °C, only the pyrochlore phase existed, and as the substrate temperature was increased, the amount of perovskite phase also increased. It was finally found that the PZT thin films without pyrochlore phase could be fabricated at the temperature as low as 520 °C. It was also observed that the quality of the final phases after the postannealing process severely depends on the initial perovskite phase purity during deposition. The electrical properties of PZT thin films were characterized through P–E hysteresis curves, dielectric constant and loss, and fatigue measurements. It was confirmed that the electrical properties of PZT thin films were closely related to the crystallographic microstructure of PZT thin films.