Lead Zirconium Titanate/PZT (O5PbTiZr) Sputtering Targets
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Purity | 99.9% |
| Size | 6” |
| Thickness | 0.125” |
Sputtering is a proven technology capable of depositing thin films from a wide range of materials onto diverse substrate shapes and sizes. The process using sputter targets is repeatable and can be scaled up from small research and development projects. The process with sputter targets can also be adapted to production batches involving medium to large substrate areas. Depending on the process parameters, the chemical reaction may occur on the target surface, in-flight, or on the substrate. Although sputter deposition involves many parameters and is inherently complex, it allows experts to maintain a high degree of control over film growth and microstructure.
Applications of Sputtering Targets
Sputtering targets are used for film deposition. The deposition achieved using sputter targets is a method of forming thin films by sputtering, which involves eroding material from a “target” source onto a “substrate,” such as a silicon wafer.
Semiconductor sputtering targets are used to etch the target. Sputter etching is preferred in situations where a high degree of etching anisotropy is required and selectivity is not a concern.
Sputter targets are also used for analytical purposes by gradually etching away the target material.
One example is secondary ion spectroscopy (SIMS), where the target sample is sputtered at a constant rate. As the sample is sputtered, the concentration and identity of emitted atoms are measured using mass spectrometry. With the aid of the sputtering target, the composition of the target material can be determined, and even extremely low impurity concentrations can be detected.
Sputtering targets also have an application area in space. Sputtering is one of the processes involved in space weathering, which alters the physical and chemical properties of airless bodies such as asteroids and the Moon.
Lead zirconium titanate is an inorganic compound. It is a ceramic perovskite material that exhibits a notable piezoelectric effect, meaning the compound changes shape when an electric field is applied. Lead zirconium titanate is used in several practical applications, including ultrasonic transducers and piezoelectric resonators.
The preparation of PZT thin films was later achieved through various techniques, such as the sol-gel process, pulsed laser deposition, radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering, and metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). These techniques may affect the electrical and structural performance of thin films. In addition, RF magnetron sputtering is considered a reliable method compared to others because it produces uniform and smooth thin-film surfaces.
