Plasma phase oxidation during preparation of oxide superconducting and ferroelectric thin films using pulsed laser deposition

Plasma phase oxidation was investigated during preparation of Y–Ba–Cu–O (YBCO) superconducting and Pb–Zr–Ti–O (PZT) ferroelectric thin films using KrF pulsed laser deposition. The YBCO and PZT plasma plumes were produced at a laser fluence of 0.1 to 6 J/cm2, a mixture ambient of oxygen and argon and a pressure range of 10−6–1 Torr. In the YBCO ablation, YO and BaO molecules are formed in the ablation plasma with different reactivities, while most of the CuO molecules are ejected from the target. In the PZT film preparation, TiO molecules are generated in the plasma phase. Plasma phase oxidation affects strongly the characteristics of oxide superconducting and ferroelectric thin films.