Photovoltaic properties of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate ceramics in a layered film structure design

This paper reports on the formation of a new layered film structure and the highly improved photovoltaic output of the lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) employed. The new structure design is described using a top transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. The PLZT film structure exhibited V and mA output. This means that the photovoltaic current of the PLZT film per unit width was more than 102 times larger than that of bulk PLZT, while the photovoltaic voltage per unit thickness in the layered film structure was almost the same as that in bulk ceramics and single crystal. These differences are due to the characteristics of the film structure and configuration of the electrode. PLZT film also has the advantage of its easily controllable parameters: film thickness, illuminated area, and illumination intensity. A simple model is used for the phenomenological explanation of the improved photovoltaic effect of the PLZT film.