Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
The growth of Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 (PZT) films by molecular beam epitaxy was demonstrated. Single-crystal, single-phase PZT films were grown on (001) SrTiO3 substrates at a growth temperature of 600°C. In situ monitoring of the growth process by reflection high-energy electron diffraction revealed two dimensional growth for the PZT constituent ternaries, namely, PbTiO3 and PbZrO3, and three-dimensional growth for PZT films of intermediate compositions. Layer-by-layer growth of PZT films, however, was achieved by using a PbTiO3 buffer layer between the SrTiO3 substrate and PZT films. Optical properties of the films of the end ternaries were investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Refractive index at 633 nm was found to be 2.66 for PbTiO3 and 2.40 for PbZrO3. Band gap energies of PbTiO3 and PbZrO3 were determined as 3.81 and 3.86 eV, in good agreement with theoretically calculated values. The P-E hysteresis loop of a 70-nm-thick PZT film was well saturated and had a square shape. The remanent polarization and the coercive field were 83 μC/cm2 and 77 kV/cm, respectively, which are respectable.