Investigation of formation mechanism of PLT ferroelectric thin films prepared by metallorganic decomposition process

Lead lanthanum titanate (PLT) thin films prepared by metallorganic decomposition (MOD) were thermally treated by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) and conventional furnace annealing (CFA) process respectively. Morphologies of PLT thin films with different thickness, and annealed at different thermal process were analyzed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM results showed that RTA process is favorable for crystallization and densification of thinner PLT thin films with a higher reactivity. Mechanism of PLT thin films prepared by MOD process is similar to that of evaporating and sputtering thin films which have a mechanism of nucleation controlled growth. Formation of the thin films goes through island-net-continuous stages. With increasing coating layers, continuous thin films form gradually. However, the thickness of continuous films is determined by the thermal annealing process.