Deposition of PbTiO3 films on Pt/Si substrates using pulsed laser deposition

Lead titanate (PbTiO3) thin films were prepared on platinised silicon substrates by pulsed laser deposition. A predominantly (1 1 1) oriented perovskite phase was obtained at a substrate temperature of 530 °C. Deposition at higher substrate temperatures resulted in the formation of a lead deficient pyrochlore phase PbTi3O7. The (1 1 1) orientation was slightly enhanced with an increase in the oxygen deposition pressure from 100 mTorr to 150 mTorr. A similar effect was observed with an increase in the post-deposition annealing temperature from 400 °C to 600 °C. P–E loops with remanent polarization (Pr) as high as 40 μC/cm2 and coercive field Ec = 105 kV/cm were obtained under an electric field of an amplitude of 270 kV/cm at 50 kHz. Impedance spectroscopy and leakage current behaviour of the films are also reported.