Investigation of oxygen source from vapor phase and target for growth of Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ thin film

Abstract

SUMMARYThe authors are engaged in the study of fast low-temperature fabrication of strongly dielectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 [PZT] thin film by reactive sputtering, using a metal (ZrTi)-oxide (PbO) composite target. In this approach, there is an interaction between the metal target and the oxide target, affecting the fabricated film. When the area ratio of the oxide target is increased, there appears a sputtering mode (called the quasi-metallic mode) in which metal and oxide are sputtered simultaneously. The deposition mechanism of PZT thin film in the quasi-metallic mode is investigated, and it is revealed that oxygen is supplied not from the gas source, but from PbO. It is also determined that when a sufficient amount of oxygen is not supplied to the surface of the growing PZT film, reevaporation of Pb occurs, resulting in a deficit of Pb.