Bottom Electrode Effects in Controlling Orientation of Lead Zirconate Titanate Films Deposited by Chemical Solution Deposition

The microstructure and electrical properties of lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) films prepared by chemical solution deposition (CSD) with and without lead titanate (PT) seed layers were examined as a function of Ir/Ir oxide electrode type. The novel PZT CSD solution was prepared from a mixture of zirconium and titanium butoxyethoxides and lead ethylhexanoate dissolved in butoxyethanol. The use of excess-lead (PbxsTi) and stoichiometric PT seed layers was found to promote PZT(111) orientation on Ir but not on Ir oxide. Ir substrate thickness was observed to influence orientation of PZT deposited on stoichiometric PT with greater PZT(111) texturing on thinner Ir(111) substrates. PZT with greater PZT(111) texturing tended to have greater remanent polarization (2Pr, mC/cm2). PZT deposited on stoichiometric PT seed layers on Ir(111) was of higher film quality than PZT deposited on PbxsTi seed layers on Ir(111). The PZT films deposited on stoichiometric PT on Ir(111) had enhanced PZT(111) orientation, a reduced pyrochlore content, and tended to saturate at lower coercive fields, have higher remanent polarization, squarer hysteresis loops with less tilt and greater fatigue endurance. The use of iridium oxide top electrode was demonstrated to significantly improve fatigue endurance compared to use of an iridium top electrode.