Preparation and crystallization of Pb(Zr0.95Ti0.05)O3 thin films deposited by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering with a stoichiometric ceramic target

0.95 Ti_0.05)O₃ (PZT 95/5) thin films of perovskite structure were prepared on various substrates by the radio-frequency magnetron sputtering with a stoichiometric ceramic target. The crystal structure of the films showed a strong dependency on the crystal structure of the substrates. After conventional-furnace annealing at 750 °C, crack-free and transparent epitaxial PZT 95/5 films were successfully obtained on SrTiO₃(100) substrates, and highly oriented films on LaAlO₃(012). The films on r-sapphire exhibit slightly preferred orientation along both the (040) and (122) axes of the orthorhombic PZT 95/5 phase. The films on YSZ(100) consist principally of the perovskite PZT 95/5 phase with random orientation with a small portion of unknown phase. However, the formation of the perovskite PZT 95/5 phase was not observed in the films on Si(110) or (111)Pt-coated Si substrates. The crystallization of the perovskite PZT 95/5 on these substrates could be improved by rapid thermal annealing (RTA). Single perovskite phase was obtained in the films on (111)Pt/Si which had RTA at 750 °C for 1 min. No tangible loss of Pb from the films occurred during either the sputtering or annealing. Received: 17 April 1997/Accepted: 18 November 1997