Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
Photoluminescence (PL) excited at 1.7K with a N2-Laser (3.679eV) was used to investigate defect related electron-hole recombination transitions in ferroelectric PZT thin films. The interaction of doping, heat treatment, and hydrogen with the defect related PL spectrum has been studied. Donor/acceptor related transitions between 3.0 and 3.5eV and deep trap transitions between 2.0 and 2.6eV have been found. Certain heat treatments produce high densities of deep trap transitions in Pb(Zr0.48Ti0.52)03 thin films but not in 6% La doped PZT; different treatments are neccessary to produce similar deep trap transitions in the doped films. Hydrogen anneals eliminate the strongest deep trap transition at 2.15eV in both undoped and La-doped PZT films; however the donor/acceptor transitions are affected differently. Correlation with electrical properties seems to indicate the expected result: smaller defect densities are associated with better electrical performance.