Crystallographic and optical properties of epitaxial Pb(Zr0.6,Ti0.4)O3 thin films grown on LaAlO3 substrates

Pb(Zr-0.6,Ti-0.4)O-3 (PZT) thin films are grown in situ on LaAlO3 substrates by rf magnetron sputtering. The relationship between structural and optical properties is investigated as a function of growth temperature. The ferroelectric films exhibit satisfying crystallization with epitaxial growth from 475 degreesC. The optical refractive index value is 2.558, in agreement with the bulk value. The films show homogeneous structure and the squarelike shape of the index profile along with the PZT thickness suggests a good interface quality with the substrate. The crystallographic and optical properties measured on our films tend to demonstrate the suitability of in situ grown PZT films for optical applications. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.