Structural and electrical characterization of heteroepitaxial Pb[Yb1/2Nb1/2]O3-PbTiO3 thin films

The pulsed laser deposition process has been used to prepare heteroepitaxial (1-x) Pb[Yb1/2Nb1/2]O-3-xPbTiO(3) (PYbN-PT, x=0.4,0.5) thin films on single crystalline (001)(pc)SrRuO3/LaAlO3 and (111)(pc)SrRuO3/SrTiO3 substrates (the subscript pc refers here to the pseudocubic subcell). High laser frequencies (f-16 Hz) and 300 mTorr of background O-3/O-2 in the chamber during deposition provide stoichiometric and high crystalline quality heterostructures. Temperatures in the 560-660 degrees C range lead to improved microstructures as well as good dielectric and ferroelectric properties consistent with those of PYbN-PT ceramics. In particular, films show room temperature dielectric constants greater than 1300 and exhibit well-developed hysteresis loops with remanent polarizations (P-r) as high as 40-50 mu C cm(-2). Results are discussed in terms of film composition and crystallinity. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)05708-X].