Ultraviolet-assisted cold poling of PbO.sub.3 films

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 53; no. 10; p. 7180
• Main Authors: Zhu, Wanlin, Luo, Wei, Akkopru-Akgun, Betul, Lanagan, Michael, Randall, Clive A, Trolier-McKinstry, Susan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 01.05.2018
• Subjects: Electric fields
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-018-2069-y

This paper discusses the advantages of a room-temperature poling procedure during exposure to ultraviolet light for Pb(Zr.sub.0.52Ti.sub.0.48)O.sub.3 (PZT) films. The results of these experiments include the following: for 1.7-[micro]m-thick chemical solution-deposited PZT films, the saturation photocurrent density after a 10 min white light exposure (190-1900 nm) (no DC bias field applied) increased up to 0.066 [micro]A/cm.sup.2 with increasing Cr thickness of top electrode in Cr/Pt bilayer electrodes. Furthermore, the d.sub.33,f piezoelectric coefficients for UV-poled samples were 40 and 20% higher than those achieved from field-only poling at either room temperature or 150 °C. Additionally, the development of an internal bias field and pinching were investigated in major and minor polarization-electric field loops. It was found that ultraviolet illumination during the poling process produced photoinduced charge carriers that became trapped by local defects and/or grain boundaries in the films.