Investigation on FR(LT)–FR(HT) phase transition and pyroelectric properties of pulsed laser deposited Pb(Zr0.93Ti0.07)O3 thin films

The preparation process, crystallinity and electrical properties of pulse laser deposited Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 (PZT) thin films were investigated in this paper. PZT (x = 0.93) thin film samples deposited at different substrate temperatures were prepared. Si (1 1 0) was the substrate; Ag and YBCO were the top electrode and the bottom electrode respectively. The bottom electrode YBCO was deposited on the Si substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), and then PZT was epitaxially deposited on YBCO also by PLD. After annealing, the top electrode Ag was prepared on PZT by thermal evaporation, and then the Ag/PZT/YBCO/Si structured thin films were obtained. The XRD and the analysis of their electrical characters showed that, when the substrate temperature was elevated from 600 °C to 800 °C, the crystallinity and electrical properties of PZT thin films became better and better, and the FR(LT)–FR(HT) phase transition of PZT (x = 0.93) thin films occurred at 62 °C. The PZT film deposited at 800 °C had the best pyroelectric properties, and when the FR(LT)–FR(HT) phase transition of this film occurred, the peak value of pyroelectric coefficient (p) was obtained, with a value of 1.96 × 10−6 C/(cm2 K). The PZT film deposited at 800 °C had the highest remnant polarization (Pr) and the lowest coercive field (Ec), with the values of 34.3 μC/cm2 and 41.7 kV/cm respectively.

► Investigated the crystallinity and electrical properties of Pb(Zr0.93Ti0.07)O3 films.
► The PZT film deposited at 800 °C had the best crystallinity and electrical properties.
► The FR(LT)–FR(HT) phase transition temperature of Pb(Zr0.93Ti0.07)O3 film was 62 °C.
► Peak value of pyroelectric coefficient at 62 °C was 1.96 × 10−6 C/(cm2 K).