Epitaxial growth of Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 films on Pt coated magnetostrictive amorphous metallic substrates toward next generation multiferroic heterostructures

Abstract

Piezoelectric films of Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 (PZT) were deposited by pulsed laser deposition onto metallic magnetostrictive substrates. In order to optimize the growth of PZT films, a buffer layer of Pt was employed, as well as variation of deposition temperature, pressure, and laser energy. Room temperature θ-2θ x-ray diffraction measurements indicate all diffraction features correspond to reflections indexed to a single PZT phase of space group P4mm. Scanning electron microscopy images reveal pinhole-free dense films of pyramidal shaped crystal arrangements whose orientation and size were controlled by variation of oxygen pressures during deposition. The resulting PZT films had a value of d33 ∼ 46 pm/V representing a 53% increase over previous efforts to realize a piezoelectric/Metglas™ film heterostructure.

Shifted Morphotropic Phase Boundary in [111]-Oriented Nb-Doped Pb(ZrxTi1–x)O3 Epitaxial Films: Insights into Piezoelectricity and Domain Variation

“…Pb­(Zr,Ti)­O 3 (PZT) based films have been widely considered for applications in microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems due to their excellent ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. − Compared with polycrystalline PZT-based films on silicon substrates, the epitaxial ones on single-crystalline substrates possess better properties and also attract more scientific interests. − In PZT system there exists a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) locating at Zr/Ti = 52/48, whereby piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties can be significantly enhanced. However, the thin films differentiate from the bulks due to the substrate constraint effect.…”