Electrooptic properties of epitaxial lead zirconate titanate films on silicon substrates

Electrooptic (EO) properties and propagation losses of the lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films grown on silicon (Si) substrates have been investigated. PZT films were prepared on Si substrates by chemical solution method. Refractive index changes and propagation losses of PZT films were evaluated by prism coupling method. A (100)-oriented 8.9-mu m-thick epitaxial PZT film grown on a Si substrate with strontium ruthenium oxide/ceria/yttria-stabilized zirconia (SRO/CeO2/YSZ) epitaxial buffer layer was found to have large EO effect and very low propagation loss. Propagation of an infrared light with a wavelength of 1550 nm into a PZT film on Si substrate was successfully confirmed.