Ferroelectric properties of (PbxLa1-x)(ZryTi1-y)O-3 thin films prepared bymodified pulsed laser deposition process

A two-step pulsed laser deposition (PLD) process, including PLD at a substr ate temperature lower than 150 degreesC and rapid thermal annealing (RTA) a t around 550 degreesC (30 s), has been successfully applied for growing (Pb xLa1-x)(ZryTi1-y)O-3, (PLZT,. x = 0.97, y = 0.664) thin films. Fatigue-free , large remanent polarization, P-r = 19 muC/cm(2), (with coercive field E-c = 78 kV/cm and low leakage current density J(1) less than or equal to 1 x 10(-5) A/cm(2) at 400kV/cm) characteristics can be achieved when a SrRuO3 l ayer is used as a buffer layer. Interdiffusion between layers remains prono unced when an amorphous SrRuO3 layer is used as a buffer layer, which marke dly degrades the electrical properties of PLZT films. Only the crystalline SrRuO3 layer can effectively suppress the interdiffusion of species and imp rove the ferroelectric behavior of the PLZT films. Such a modified PLD proc ess possesses an overwhelming advantage over the in situ PLD process in ter ms of its simplicity and compatibility with device fabrication processes.