Pulsed excimer laser deposition and characterization of ferroelectric Pb(Zr<SUB>0.52</SUB>Ti<SUB>0.48</SUB>)O<SUB>3</SUB> thin films

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films were prepared by excimer laser ablation on platinum coated silicon substrates. The composition of the films showed dependence on the fluence at low energy densities (&lt;2 J/cm2), and less dependence on the ablation fluence was observed beyond a fluence of 2 J/cm2. A correlation among the fluence, ablation pressure, and substrate temperature has been established. Crystalline perovskite PZT films showed a dielectric constant of 800-1000, a remnant polarization of 32 &#181;C/cm2, and a coercive field of 130 kV/cm. Films showed fatigue behavior that may be used in a device, and a close comparison of fatigue behavior between the films deposited at different energy densities indicated a better fatigue behavior for a fluence of 4 J/cm2