Eur. Phys. J. AP 15, 153-165 (2001)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap:2001177

Orientation control of rhomboedral PZT thin films on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrates

Laboratoire CRISMAT/ISMRA et Université de Caen (CNRS UMR 6508), 6 boulevard du Maréchal Juin, 14050 Caen Cedex, France

Corresponding author: bertrand.vilquin@ismra.fr

Received: 19 February 2001
Revised: 4 April 2001
Accepted: 1 June 2001
Published online: 15 September 2001

Abstract

Highly (111)- and (001)-oriented rhomboedral PZT thin films have been grown at 500 °C on platinized silicon substrates by in situ RF magnetron sputtering. Crystallization of the perovskite phase was possible provided that a thin TiO_x buffer layer was deposited prior to the PZT. Control of PZT films orientation is demonstrated by changing the ratio in the plasma gas during the TiO_x sputtering and its consequences on electrical properties of the ferroelectric samples are presented. The structural properties of the TiO_x buffer layer were studied by means of transmission electronic microscopy in order to understand the relation between the TiO_x seeding and the orientation control of the PZT film.