The stress state and domain structure of epitaxial PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 films on (001) SrTiO3 with and without la0.5r0.5CoO3 electrode layer

The domain structure of the 400 nm thick PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 (PZT) films with different electrode layer configurations was investigated by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The c-domain fractions of the PZT films with no electrode layer, with a 50 nm electrode layer between the film and the substrate, and with 50 nm electrode layers on top and bottom of the PZT film were found to be equal. This means that depolarizing fields do not affect the polydomain structure of the film. Calculations of the in-plane strains based on the lattice parameters of the La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (LSCO) layer in the above configurations led to the conclusion that the bottom electrode layer is coherently strained to match the substrate. © 1999 Materials Research Society.