Pulsed laser deposition of PLZT films: structural and optical characterization

Transparent lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin films with electro-optic properties were deposited on indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) coated glass by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Stoichiometric films with the crystallographic perovskite structure required for electro-optical behaviour, and a composition ratio close to 9/65/35 were obtained. The microstructural, optical and electro-optic properties of these films were studied for different substrate temperatures, Ts, and reactor oxygen pressure, PO2 . The films annealed at 700 8C in oxygen at atmospheric pressure are highly (1 1 0) perovskite orientated and free of the undesired pyrochlore phase. The optical constants (n and k as a function of wavelength) of the films were obtained using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) and spectrophotometry in the UV-Vis–NIR regions. They appear to be strongly depending on the deposition conditions. A high quadratic electro-optic coefficient, close to that of the bulk value, was obtained at 632.8 nm by single-beam (ellipsometric) configuration. # 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved