Lead Zirconium Titanate/PZT (O5PbTiZr) Sputtering Targets
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Purity | 99.9% |
| Size | 7” |
| Thickness | 0.125” |
Sputtering is a proven technology capable of depositing thin films from a wide range of materials onto various substrate shapes and sizes. The process using sputter targets is consistent, repeatable, and can be scaled from small research and development projects to production batches involving medium to large substrate areas. Chemical reactions during sputtering may occur on the target surface, in-flight, or on the substrate depending on process parameters. Although sputter deposition involves many variables that make it complex, it provides experts with extensive control over film growth and microstructure.
Applications of Sputtering Targets
Sputtering targets are used for film deposition. This method deposits thin films by sputtering, which erodes material from a “target” and transfers it onto a “substrate,” such as a silicon wafer.
Semiconductor sputtering targets are used for etching, especially when high anisotropy is required and selectivity is not a priority.
Sputtering targets are also used in analytical applications by gradually etching away target material.
One example is secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), where the target sample is sputtered at a constant rate. As sputtering occurs, the concentration and identity of emitted atoms are measured using mass spectrometry. With the help of the sputtering target, the composition of the target material can be determined, allowing detection of extremely low impurity levels.
Sputtering targets also have applications in space science. Sputtering contributes to space weathering, a process that alters the physical and chemical properties of airless bodies such as asteroids and the Moon.
Lead zirconium titanate is an inorganic compound and a ceramic perovskite that exhibits a strong piezoelectric effect, meaning it changes shape when an electric field is applied. It is widely used in practical applications such as ultrasonic transducers and piezoelectric resonators.
Various techniques were developed for preparing PZT thin films, including the sol-gel method, pulsed laser deposition, radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering, and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). These techniques can influence the electrical and structural performance of the thin films. Among them, RF magnetron sputtering is considered highly reliable because it produces thin films with uniformity and smooth surfaces.
