Enhanced ferroelectric property of (Pb0.95Ca0.05)(Nb0.02Zr0.80Ti0.20)O3 thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

(Pb0.95Ca0.05)(Nb0.02Zr0.80Ti0.20)O3 [PCNZT] thin films were deposited on the Pt(1 1 1)/Ti/SiO2/Si(1 0 0) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering with and without a LaNiO3 [LNO] buffer layer. Ca and Nb elements in PZT films enhance the ferroelectric property, LaNiO3 buffer layer improves the crystal quality of the PCNZT thin films. PCNZT thin films possess better ferroelectric property than that of PZT films for Ca and Nb ion substitution, moreover, PCNZT thin films with a LNO buffer layer possess (1 0 0) orientation and good ferroelectric properties with high remnant polarization (Pr = 38.1 mC/cm2), and low coercive field (Ec = 65 kV/cm), which is also better than that of PCNZT thin films without a LNO buffer layer (Pr = 27.9 mC/cm2, Ec = 74 kV/cm). The result shows that enhanced ferroelectric property of PZT films can be obtained by ion substitution and buffer layer.