Influence of carrier gas conditions on electrical and optical properties of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films prepared by aerosol deposition method

Transparent Pb(Zr, Ti)O-3 (PZT) thin films with over 1 mum thickness were deposited by the aerosol deposition method (ADM). The transparency of the PZT thin film deposited at room temperature strongly depended on the kinds of carrier gases and the particle flow velocity. The color of the film became black if He gas was used as a carrier gas, and became transparent using N-2, O-2 or air gases, which were difficult to electrically discharge during the impacting of particles. The transmittance values in the 0.5-0.8 mum wavelength region of as-deposited 2-mum-thick PZT thin films on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate were,70-80%. After annealing at 600 degreesC, the remanent polarizations, and the coercive fields of PZT thin films were 36 muC/cm(2) and 89 kV/cm, respectively. With increasing carrier gas velocity, the remanent polarization decreased and the coercive field increased.