Effect of buffer layers on the property of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3–Pb(Mn,W,Sb,Nb)O3 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

New ferroelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3–Pb(Mn,W,Sb,Nb)O3 (PZT–PMWSN) thin film has been deposited on a Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate by pulsed laser deposition. Buffer layer was adopted between film and substrate to improve the ferroelectric properties of PZT–PMWSN films. Effect of a Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) and (Pb0.72La0.28)Ti0.93O3 (PLT) buffer layers on the stabilization of perovskite phase and the suppression of pyrochlore phase has been examined. Role of buffer layers was investigated depending on different types of buffer layer and thickness. The PZT–PMWSN thin films with buffer layer have higher remnant polarization and switching polarization values by suppressing pyrochlore phase formation. The remnant polarization, saturation polarization, coercive field and relative dielectric constant of 10-nm-thick PLT buffered PZT–PMWSN thin film with no pyrochlore phase were observed to be about 18.523 mC/cm2, 47.538 mC/cm2, 63.901 kV/cm and 854, respectively.