GROWTH OF PEROVSKITE PLZT THIN-FILMS BY DUAL ION-BEAM SPUTTERING

PLZT thin films have been deposited using the emerging PVD technique of dual ion-beam sputtering (DIBS). The DIBS process produces high quality orientated perovskite films of bulk refractive index, good stoichiometry and full density, i.e., few pinholes. Films have been formed at 500-600-degrees-C onto sapphire, fused silica, Mg0 and silicon substrates by sputtering from an adjustable composite PLZT ceramic/Ti and Pb metallic target. Some substrates were coated with platinum prior to deposition to allow longitudinal electrical measurements on the films. Perovskite lead titanate PLZT (0/0/100), PLZT (10/0/100) and PLZT (28/0/100) films have been grown, the former two are of interest for thin film pyroelectric detectors whereas the latter is a quadratic electro-optic suited to optical waveguide, shutter and switching applications.