Heterolayered Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 Thin Films

Abstract

Heterolayered Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 thin films consisting of alternating layers of Pb(Zr0.7Ti0.3)O3 (PZ70T30) and Pb(Zr0.3Ti0.7)O3 (PZ30T70) layers were fabricated via sol-gel route. The heterolayered PZ70T30 film demonstrates superior ferroelectric and dielectric properties than those of the multilayered PZT films. Investigations into the PZ70T30/PZ30T70 interfacial layers based on the series connection capacitor model show that interfacial layer is not the reason behind the superior properties of the heterolayered PZ70T30 films. The high Pr of the heterolayered PZT film indicates a further process that is related to the switching of ferroelastic domains. Studies on thickness effect show that with increasing number of alternating PZ70T30 and PZ30T70 layers, the film shows a much enhanced Pr and relative permittivity. The heterolayered PZ30T70 thin films demonstrate limited improvement in electrical behavior. The overall film texture and grain size are shown to play a key role in determining the electrical properties of the heterolayered ferroelectric thin films.