Crystalline and dielectric properties of sputter deposited PbTiO3 thin films

The crystalline and dielectric properties of sputter deposited PbTiO(3) thin films were investigated as a function of the film thickness and growth temperature. The crystalline quality was found to be independent of the film thickness from 2.4 to 200 nm. The capacitance of 0.12 mm(2) Pt/PbTiO(3)/SrRuO(3) and Pt/PbTiO(3)/Nb:SrTiO(3) capacitors was found to deviate from the ideal parallel plate capacitance for PbTiO(3) films thinner than 10 nm. The decrease in capacitance was consistent with field penetration into the electrodes. The surface Pb content, as determined from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, was found to decrease with increasing growth temperature from 700 to 760 degrees C. However, no change could be observed in the crystalline quality. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.