A Study of Vacancy-Related Defects in (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 Thin Films Using Positron Annihilation

Thomas Friessnegg, Sanjeev Aggarwal, Brent Nielsen, Ramamoorthy Ramesh, David J. Keeble, and Edward H. Poindexter

ABSTRACT The formation of vacancy-type defects in La-doped lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin films (Zr/Ti = 20/80) was studied as a function of lanthanum doping and after cooling in an oxygen-reduced ambient. The changes in the Doppler-broadening S parameter are consistent with the progressive introduction of Pb-vacancies upon La-doping.

Cooling of PLZT thin films with 0 and 10\% La doping in 10-5 Torr oxygen partial pressure after growth exhibits an increase in the density of vacancy-type defects compared to films cooled in 760 Torr. It is proposed that the defects formed are likely cation-oxygen vacancy complexes.

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