Structural and optical properties of waveguides of sol-gel deposited ferroelectric PZT(50/50) thin films

PZT(50/50) ferroelectric thin films were deposited by the sol-gel method. T he refractive index emerging from Si(lll) and fused quartz glass substrates were measured and calculated by ellipsometry and optical transmission spec tra, respectively. The relationship between structure and refractive indice s was studied. Alter heat treatment the PZT films on silicon and platinized silicon substrates revealed that the structure plays a major role in varia tion of the refractive index. The optical waveguide losses of thin films we re measured using the prism-waveguide coupling technique. The relationship between optical waveguide loss and preparation technology were also studied . The waveguide loss of the films is increased with increasing of the heat treatment temperature. With increasing of coating thickness the waveguide l oss is not significantly increased.