Preparation of PZT on diamond by pulsed laser deposition with Al₂O₃ buffer layer

For the purpose of broad-bandwidth high frequency surface acoustic wave devices fabrication, we report on the successful preparation of Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PZT) films by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) process on (1 1 1)-oriented polycrystalline diamond substrates with aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) as buffer layer. Al₂O₃ was deposited on diamond substrates by high-vacuum electron-beam evaporation method at 200 °C. Then PLD technique was used for PZT deposition. The chemical states of Al and O in Al₂O₃ were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface morphology of Al₂O₃ and PZT films was studied by the atom force microscopy image. X-ray diffraction results showed that before annealing, 350 °C-prepared PZT was amorphous and 550 °C-prepared PZT was (2 2 2)-oriented pyrochlore phase PZT. After rapid thermal annealing at 650 °C, (1 0 1)-oriented pure perovskite phase PZT could be obtained from the 350 °C-prepared PZT film.