Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2003
Barium metaplumbate thin films were deposited in situ by pulsed laser deposition on Si/SiO2/Ti/Pt substrates with a high deposition rate. The temperatures used ranged between 400 °C and 700 °C. As the deposition temperature was increased, the films assumed a strong (222) preferential orientation. This orientation of the electrodes was reflected on the PZT films, having a very big influence on their ferroelectric behavior. The PZT films made over BPO deposited at high temperature presented high values of remanent polarization (43 μC/cm2) but indications of high leakage currents could be observed in the hysteresis loops. By using BPO bottom electrodes, a 30% improvement in the fatigue behavior of PZT capacitors when compared with the normal platinum electrodes was observed.