Phase development of radio-frequency magnetron sputter-deposited Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-PbTiO3 (90/10) thin films

Abstract

Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) films were deposited by the radio-frequency magnetron sputtering technique with Pb- and Mg-enriched ceramic targets. The perovskite structural growth was carried out over a wide range of processing parameters, PMN-PT targets were synthesized by the columbite technique. Surface cracking was due to the residual stress induced by low-temperature deposition. To reduce the surface-layer delamination, the substrate temperature during deposition was increased to 500 degrees C. Even though the amount of the perovskite phase decreased, the surface morphology was free of macrodelaminations and better than the case of room-temperature deposition. By stress releasing, high-temperature deposition reduces the delaminations of the PMN-PT thin films on the Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate. By controlling the sputtered-particle kinetic energy and the film composition, the surface morphologies were changed to be smooth and delamination-free. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2101(00)13204-X].