On the role of ambient oxygen in the formation of lead titanate pulsed laser deposition thin films

Static oxygen transfer mechanisms (i.e. oxidation during the cooling step a nd between laser pulses) of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) lead titanate thi n films have been studied by using O-18 tracing technique and d-SIMS profil ing. During the cooling, it has been shown that about 15% of total oxygen c ontent of the Film origin from ambient gas. The mechanism of oxygen transfe r has been attributed to surface oxygen exchange and vacancies diffusion me chanisms. On the other hand, a non negligible ambient oxygen transfer in th e film between laser pulses has been pointed out. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.