Atomic layer deposition and post-deposition annealing of PbTiO3 thin films

Lead titanate thin films were deposited by atomic layer deposition on Si(100) using Ph4Pb and Ti(O-i-Pr)4 as metal precursors and O3 and H2O as oxygen sources. The influence of the Ti : Pb precursor pulsing ratio on the film growth, stoichiometry and quality was studied at two different temperatures, i.e. 250 and 300 °C. Uniform and stoichiometric films were obtained using a Ti : Pb precursor pulsing ratio of 1 : 10 at 250 °C or 1 : 28 at 300 °C. The as-deposited films were amorphous but the crystalline PbTiO3 phase was obtained by rapid thermal annealing at 600–900 °C both in N2 and O2 ambient. Thin PbTiO3 films were visually uniform and roughness values for as-deposited and annealed films were observed by atomic force microscopy.