Magnetron Sputtered Lead Titanates Thin Films for Pyroelectric Applications: Part 1: Epitaxial Growth, Material Characterization

Pyroelectric materials, are those materials with the property that in the absence of any externally applied electric field, develop a built-in spontaneous polarization in their unit cell structure. They are regarded as ideal detector elements for infrared applications because they can provide fast response time and uniform sensitivity at room temperature over all wavelengths. Crystals of the perovskite Lead Titanate (PbTiO3) family show pyroelectric characteristics and undergo structural phase transitions. They have a high Curie temperature (the temperature at which the material changes from the ferroelectric (polar) to the paraelectric (nonpolar) phase), high pyroelectric coefficient, high spontaneous polarization, low dielectric constant, and constitute important component materials not only useful for infrared detection, but also with vast applications in electronic, optic, and Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. However, the preparation of large perfect, and pure single crystals of PbTiO3 is challenging. Additionally, difficulties arise in the application of such bulk crystals in terms of connection to processing circuits, large size, and high voltages required for their operation. A number of thin film fabrication techniques have been proposed to overcome these inadequacies, among which, magnetron sputtering has demonstrated many potentials. By addressing these aspects, the review article aims to contribute to the understanding of the challenges in the field of pyroelectric materials, highlight potential solutions, and showcase the advancements and potentials of pyroelectric perovskite series including PbZrTiO3 (PZT), PbxCa1−x (PZN-PT), etc. for which PbTiO3 is the end member. The review is presented in two parts. Part 1 focuses on material aspects, including preparation methods using magnetron sputtering and material characterization. We take a tutorial approach to discuss the progress made in epitaxial growth of lead titanate-based ceramics prepared by magnetron sputtering and examine how processing conditions may affect the crystalline quality of the growing film by linking to the properties of the substrate/buffer layer, growth substrate temperature, and the oxygen partial pressure in the gas mixture. Careful control and optimization of these parameters are crucial for achieving high-quality thin films with desired structural and morphological characteristics.