DOPANT COMPENSATION MECHANISM AND LEAKAGE CURRENT IN PB(ZR-0.52,TI-0.48) O-3 THIN-FILMS

The dopant compensation mechanism in 2-5 mol.% niobium (Nb)-doped Pb(Z r0.52Ti0.48) O-3 (PZT) thin films was studied to obtain single phase c ompositions. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the Nb-doped composition batched according to the Ti vacancy model, was single pha se. This indicated that niobium donors were compensated by titanium va cancies at the B site. The beneficial effect of donors in single phase composition and detrimental effects of grain boundary second phases a nd accepters on the leakage currents are reported. The single-phase Nb -doped (5%) PZT thin film exhibited a low leakage current of 1 x 10(-7 ) A cm(-2) at 1.2 MV cm(-1).