Imprint in spherulitic thin films of lead zirconate titanate

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33910/2687-153X-2026-7-2-65-73

Keywords:

thin PZT films, RF magnetron sputtering, spherulitic microstructure, imprint, self-polarization, oxygen vacancies

Abstract

The reported study investigates the influence of microstructure (geometric dimensions of spherulitic blocks), external field amplitude, and aging on the magnitude of the internal field (imprint) in thin lead zirconate titanate films formed by a two-stage RF magnetron sputtering on a platinized silicon substrate. It is shown that the increase in the internal field during aging occurs as a result of the upward diffusion of oxygen vacancies (the Gorsky effect), caused by bending stresses in the thin film. It is hypothesized that the source of oxygen vacancies in the perovskite lattice is the additional oxidation of excess lead oxide located at the interfaces and in the intercrystalline space of the thin films.

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Published

30.06.2026

Issue

Section

Condensed Matter Physics