N2O reactive gas effect on rf magnetron sputtered Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films

In depositing Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3 thin films by using rf magnetron sputtering process, N2O gas was used instead of oxygen as a reactive gas. In order to investigate an effect of this N2O gas on the electrical and structural properties of the thin films, a various range of thicknesses from 1000 to 4000 Angstrom was deposited on the Pt/Ti/Si(100) substrate at a substrate temperature of 520 degrees C, and then annealed in the range of 500-700 degrees C for enhancement of the crystallinity. The ratio of Ar and O-2(N2O) gas was 9:1. There were no apparent differences in crystallographic orientation between N2O and oxygen as reactive gases. However, the denser films were fabricated by using N2O gas, and the electrical properties, i.e., remanent polarization, leakage currents and tan delta values were improved in the thinner films (1000 Angstrom). (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)01224-4].