Structural evolution of PZTN thin films produced by pulsed laser ablation deposition

The study of highly oriented Nb-doped PZT thin films deposited by laser ablation on n-type (111) Si substrates is reported. Sintered ceramics based on the nominal composition Pb_0.995(Zr_0.65Ti_0.35)_0.99Nb_0.01O₃ (PZTN) with an excess of PbO were used as targets. The films were deposited using the 3rd harmonic (355 nm) of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (7 ns pulse duration) with 7 J/cm² fluence, at different oxygen pressures (from 10⁻¹ to 10⁻⁴ mbar) and at a vacuum of 10⁻⁶ mbar. The substrate temperature was varied in the range of 500-600 °C. In optimized conditions, the as-deposited PZT-based films show perovskite structure oriented along the (110) direction with minor impurities (PbO), as revealed from X-ray diffraction spectra. Further, microstructural analysis of the as-grown including chemical composition is also presented. The relationship between composition of the target, deposition conditions and film properties are then discussed.