Influence of Laser Irradiation and Ambient Gas in Preparation of PZT Films by Laser Ablation

Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_{0. 48})O₃ (PZT) films were prepared on r-plane sapphire substrates by the laser ablation method utilizing ArF excimer laser in O₂ or N₂O environment. The composition of the films deposited in O₂ environment was found to be fairly close to the composition of the target material for a wide range of substrate temperatures, 400 – 750 °c. Increasing the laser fluence (the laser power density) for the ablation enhances the formation of the perovskite structure rather than the pyrochlore one. Use of N₂O ambient gas instead of O₂ gas enhances the formation of the perovskite structure of PZT films. Furthermore, it was found that a laser irradiation on the growing film surface during deposition enhances the formation of the perovskite structure.