Composition and phase structure in laser deposited and post-annealed Pb1-3y/2Ndy(ZrxTi1-x)O-3 thin films

Pulsed XeCl excimer laser with a wavelength of 308 nm was used to ablate a Nd-modified lead-zirconate-titanate (PNZT), Pb1-3y/2 Nd-y(ZrxTi1-x)O-3, cer amic target with y = 0.02 and x = 0.55 (Pb0.97Nd0.02(Zr0.55Ti0.55)O-3) With various laser-beam fluences between 0.2 and 3.0 J/cm(2). The target compos ition was near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) with a relative atomic Zr-content of B-site cations (Zr/(Zr + Ti)) x approximate to 0.53 between the ferroelectric tetragonal and high-temperature rhombohedral phases of PZ Ts at room temperature. The films were deposited on single-crystal sapphire (Al2O3(<1(1)over bar 02>)) and MgO(100) substrates without substrate heati ng. The phase structure and composition of both as-grown and post-annealed films were studied with X-ray diffraction measurements together with scanni ng electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy of X-rays ( EDS). The as-grown PNZT thin films after deposition were amorphous and crys tallized during post-annealing in different phase structures depending on t he ablation process conditions. The relative atomic zirconium content, Zr/( Zr + Ti), of the films depends on the laser-beam fluence used in the ablati on, but is insensitive to post-annealing conditions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scie nce B.V. All rights reserved.