Low-temperature growth of epitaxial LaNiO3/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/LaNiO3 on Si(001) by pulsed-laser deposition

Epitaxial ferroelectric thin-film capacitors, LaNiO3/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3 /LaNiO3, have been grown on Si(001) substrates using SrTiO3/TiN as the buffer layer. The whole capacitor and the buffer layer stack were in situ deposited at 540 degrees C by the pulsed-laser deposition method. Structural characterization using three-axis x-ray diffraction (theta-2 theta scan, omega-scan rocking curve, and phi scan) reveals a cube-on-cube epitaxial growth for all layers. High-resolution scanning electron micrographs show that the epitaxial heterostructures have a smooth and crack-free surface. The sharp characteristic optical absorption bands of the SrTiO3 and Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3 layers also imply goad crystallinity in the as-grown films. Resistivity versus temperature measurements show that both the bottom and top LaNiO3 electrodes are metallic and highly conductive with resistivity of 210 and 150 mu Ohm cm, respectively, at 300 K. Remnant polarization of about 26 mu C/cm(2), coercive field of 33 kV/cm, and no visible fatigue after 10(8) cycles indicate good electrical performance of the integrated capacitor structure. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2101(00)03501-6].