Stoichiometry and crystal orientation of YAG-PLD derived ferroelectric PZT thin film

PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 (PZT) thin films were synthesized by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique using the fourth harmonic generated light source (λ=266 nm) of Nd3+:Y3Al5O12 (YAG) laser beam. The film crystallinity and stoichiometry were examined as a function of the partial oxygen pressure (PO2) in the range 1–10 Pa during the PLD process. With increasing PO2, the major crystalline phase of the thin film was changed from pyrochlore to perovskite. This variation was correlated with the volatile property of Pb element during the deposition process. At PO2 of 5 Pa, perovskite formation and its (111) crystallographic orientation were maximized in the thin film when Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates were used. Additionally, the control of the preferred crystallographic orientation of the PZT thin film was performed using PZT(sol-gel-seed)Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si and LaSr0.5Co0.5O3/SiO2/Si substrates. A laser-Doppler-interferometer measured the electric-field-induced displacement of 1-μm-thick PZT films with different growth conditions in order to investigate the effect of stoichiometry and crystal orientation on the piezoelectric property.