Preparation and electrical properties of rhombohedral Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 thin films by RF magnetron sputtering method

Rhombohedral lead zirconate titanate (PZT)thin films with a thickness of 0.3-1.2 mu m were successfully grown on (111)Pb(La,Ti)O-3/Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si and (111)Ir/SiO2/Si substrates by an RF magnetron sputtering method using a multi-target consisting of calcinated PbO and metal titanium pellets on a zirconium metal plate. The composition of the films could be controlled by adjusting the area ratio of PbO/Zr/Ti. The crystal structures of the films were sensitive to the area of PbO and the substrate temperature. The pyroelectric current, relative dielectric constant, Curie temperature, remanent polarization (P-r) and coercive field dependence on the Zr content of the films are described. The pyroelectric coefficient of the as-prepared PZT films showed a peak from 94 degrees C [for Pb(Zr0.91Ti0.09)O-3] to 36 degrees C [for Pb(Zr0.97Ti0.03)O-3], which corresponded to the phase transition from the low-temperature to high-temperature rhombohedral ferroelectric phase. The fatigue characteristic was also measured using a double bipolar pulse. The PZT films preserved an initial switching charge value over a switching cycle of 10(12).