PROCESSING OF PBTIO3 THIN-FILMS .1. IN-SITU INVESTIGATION OF FORMATION KINETICS

A novel in situ stress measurement technique to study the formation ki netics of multicomponent oxide thin films was developed and was applie d to PbTiO3. Single phase PbTiO3 thin films were formed from the react ion between films in the deposited PbO/TiO2 multilayer. The film. stoi chiometry was accurately controlled by depositing individual layers wi th the required thickness. The development of film stresses associated with the formation of the product layer at the PbO/TiO2 interface of the multilayers was used to monitor the growth rate of the PbTiO3 laye r. It was found that growth of the PbTiO3 phase obeyed the parabolic l aw, and the effective activation energy was estimated to be 108 kJ/mol e. It is believed that the mechanism of this reaction was dominated by grain boundary diffusion of the participating cations. (C) 1996 Ameri can Vacuum Society.