Potential of High-Frequency Cathode Sputtering Method for Synthesis of Lead-Containing Antiferroelectric Films

The potential of using the method of high-frequency cathode sputtering in an oxygen atmosphere for the synthesis of thin-film lead-containing antiferroelectric materials is investigated. Two films with the chemical composition of the PbHfO target were synthesized on Si(001) and SrRuO/SrTiO/MgO(001) substrates. The formed films were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, including reverse space mapping, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. It has been demonstrated that this synthesis method makes it possible to grow polycrystalline films based on materials with a perovskite structure. In this case, an epitaxial film with rhombic syngony and a new crystal lattice, different from the one known for PbHfO3, was obtained on a heterophase substrate. The revealed ratio of the parameters of the film cells and the intermediate layer is 7 to 6, i.e. the coincidence of the nodes of the film and substrate structure occurs when 7 film cells and 6 cells of the SrRuO3 layer are superimposed. This indicates the complex nature of the orientation. The morphology analysis showed significant differences between the samples in terms of grain size and distribution. The data obtained confirm the high sensitivity of the phase composition to the type of substrate and demonstrate the promise of the high-frequency cathode sputtering method for creating new functional oxide films suitable for use in microelectronics, sensors and energy-efficient devices.