Low-Temperature Fabrication of Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 Films by RF Reactive Sputtering Using Zr/Ti + PbO Target

Abstract

Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) films were grown on fused quartz substrates by reactive sputtering using a Zr/Ti (50%/50%) alloy target combined with PbO pellets under argon pressure of 10mTorr and O₂/Ar flow rate ratio of 2.1%. Structure and deposition rate of the films have been investigated as functions of substrate temperature and PbO content. When films were grown in near metallic mode using a Zr/Ti + 41%PbO target, perovskite PZT films were successfully prepared at a temperature as low as 450°C, and in the wide range from 450°C to 570°C. It was impossible to obtain perovskite PZT films using only a stoichiometic Pb(Zr_0.5Ti_0.5)O₃ ceramic target, while perovskite PZT films could be obtained between 540°C and 570°C using a Pb(Zr_0.5Ti_0.5)O₃ + 15%PbO target. Deposition rate of perovskite films for the Zr/Ti + 41%PbO target was 2–3 times higher than that for the PZT + 15%PbO target.