Morphology and domain structure of ferroelectric lead titanate and lead zirconate titanate thin films, an overview

Abstract

Thin film ferroelectrics are technologically important materials. Doped or undoped lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and lead titanate (PT) films are of special interest since they have numerous applications in electro-optic, piezoelectric and non-volatile memory devices. In this brief overview, PZT films deposited by rf-sputtering and sol-gel techniques will be examined. The composition of the undoped films in this study covers the morphotropic phase boundary region and the titanium rich side of the phase diagram. Film morphology and domain structure will be discussed and effects of doping will also be analyzed. Grain size and morphology can vary significantly depending on the thermal processing that occurs after film deposition. Dopants, such as La and Ca, not only affect the PZT film morphology but also the electrical properties of the films. Comparisons between bulk ceramic and thin film ferroelectrics will be made and the implications of similarities and differences will be explored.