Highly polarized single-c-domain single-crystal Pb(Mn,Nb)O3-PZT thin films

In-plane unstrained single-c-domain/single-crystal thin films of PZT-based ternary ferroelectric perovskite, xPb(Mn,Nb)O
₃
-(1 - x)PZT, were grown on SrRuO
₃
/Pt/MgO substrates using magnetron sputtering followed by quenching. The sputtered unstrained thin films exhibit unique ferroelectric properties: high coercive field, E
_c
>; 180 kV/cm, large remanent polarization, P
_r
= 100 μC/cm
²
, small relative dielectric constants, ε* = 100 to 150, high Curie temperature, T
_c
= ~600°C, and bulk-like large transverse piezoelectric constants, e
_31,f
= -12.0 C/m
²
for PZT(48/52) at x = 0.06. The unstrained thin films are an ideal structure to extract the bulk ferroelectric properties. Their micro-structures and ferroelectric properties are discussed in relation to the potential applications for piezoelectric MEMS.