Electro-optic properties of Pb(Zr_1-xTi_x)O ₃ (X = 0, 0.3, 0.6) films prepared by aerosol deposition

We measured annealing temperature and the Zr-to-Ti concentration ratio dependence of the electro-optic (EO) effect for highly transparent Pb(Zr _1-xTi_x)O₃ [PZT] films more than 1 μm thick, directly deposited on glass substrates by aerosol deposition (AD). X-ray diffraction patterns show that as-deposited AD films have a large strain and lattice distortions, and these affects can be attenuated by increasing annealing temperature. The dielectric constant of AD-PZT films increased with annealing temperature, which is consistent with the X-ray diffraction measurement. The EO effect was enhanced with increasing Zr concentration, and a linear EO coefficient (r_c) of 102 pm/V was obtained for the PbZr _0.6T_0.4O₃ film annealed at 600°C, whose composition is near its morphotropic phase boundary. The r_c of PbZr_0.6T_0.4O₃ films increased with annealing temperature, and the film annealed at 850°C showed an r_c of 168 pm/V. The EO measurements show that AD is a highly promising film-deposition method for optical devices such as EO modulators and optical switches.