Ferroelectric properties of PZT thin films prepared by sputtering with stoichiometric single oxide target: Comparison between conventional and rapid thermal annealing

Ferroelectric vs. structural properties of large-distance sputtered epitaxial LSMO/PZT heterostructures

“…28 -resulting in a stoichiometry of La 0.83 Sr 0.17 MnO 3 , as determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, confirming a loss of ≈50 % of Sr. 28 This loss can again be explained by the larger scattering angles of the lighter (Sr) as compared to the heavier species (La). 22,29 For the PZT deposition, the samples were heated to 550…”

“…19,22 Although PZT can be reactively sputtered from metallic targets in direct current (dc) mode, 23,24 radio frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering from readily sintered compound targets is the most established method, often employing targets with 10-20 mol% excess PbO. 18,22 However, when epitaxial growth without post-annealing is to be achieved, the tuning of the deposition parameters -namely substrate temperature, O 2 and Ar partial pressures, target-substrate separation, sputtering power and dc-bias voltage -can be a daunting task. Another challenge, again raising the need for post-annealing, is the degradation of crystallinity of oxide thin films as a result of the bombardment with high energetic oxygen ions repelled from the target.…”

“…Thus, 285 mm was chosen as opposed to the typical distances in sputtering systems of around 30-100 mm. As a positive side effect, stoichiometric PZT targets can be used, since the Pb/(Zr+Ti) ratio is known to rise with increasing distance, 22 which can be explained by the reduced scattering angle of heavier species during the thermalization process. 29 In the following it will be shown that large-distance magnetron sputtering is a promising alternative to other well-established PVD methods in terms of crystalline and functional characteristics of the heterostructures.…”

Flexible metallic ultrasonic transducers for structural health monitoring of pipes at high temperatures

“…To improve the ultrasonic properties of the FUTs reported in [7], [12], a rapid thermal annealinglike process [13]- [15] was used for the thermal treatment. The rapid thermal annealing has the merit of limiting the degradation of the piezoelectric film-substrate interface and to improve the crystallization behavior of the piezoelectric film.…”

“…In this investigation, step 4 is significantly different from the FUT fabrication process presented in [7]. Here a rapid thermal annealing-like process [13]- [15] was used for the thermal treatment. The main advantage of rapid thermal annealing is to limit the eventual degradation of the filmsubstrate interface such as through inter-diffusion of lead, and also to improve the crystallization behavior of the piezoelectric film.…”