The role of ambient gas scattering effect and lead oxide formation in pulsed laser deposition of lead–zirconate–titanate thin films

Abstract

The angular distribution of lead in films deposited by pulsed laser irradiation of lead–zirconate–titanate and lead targets are studied as a function of ambient gas (argon or oxygen), gas pressure, and substrate temperature. When the substrate is kept in vacuum and at room temperature, a dip in the lead content attributable to the intrinsic resputtering of lead is observed at the position of the target surface normal. In the presence of an ambient gas, the dip disappears and the lead content increases at all angles. These results are attributed to a reduction of resputtering arising from scattering of the ablated species by ambient gas molecules. Under ambient oxygen and at high substrate temperature, the retention of lead content in the deposited films is largely due to the formation of lead oxide.