Deposition conditions and electrical properties of relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O-3 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

Epitaxial lead iron niobate thin films with thicknesses of 50 nm < t < 500 nm have been deposited by pulsed laser deposition. We have identified the deposition conditions that result in insulating layers. These critical conditions are essential to (i) prevent semiconducting resistivity characteristics, (ii) achieve higher induced polarizations of 70 mu C/cm(2) under E=190 kV/mm, and (iii) obtain remanent polarizations of 17.7 mu C/cm(2), coercive fields of 9.5 kV/mm, and dielectric constants of similar to 1200 at room temperature. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.