Optical characterization of PZT thin films for waveguide applications

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optical properties of PZT thin films for waveguide use, using a specialized M-lines device to measure refractive index and thickness, comparing two fabrication processes and assessing reproducibility.

Contribution

It introduces an accurate measurement setup for PZT films and evaluates the reproducibility of a modified sol-gel fabrication process.

Findings

Refractive index and thickness measurements achieved with the M-lines device.

Comparison of two PZT fabrication processes.

Reproducibility of the optimized process demonstrated.

Abstract

In order to develop an electro-optic waveguide, Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 ceramic ferroelectric thin films were elaborated by a modified sol-gel process on glass substrate. In the aim to study the optical properties of the PZT films, an accurate refractive index and thickness measurement apparatus was set up, which is called M-lines device. An evaluation of experimental uncertainty and calculation of the precision of the refractive index and thickness were developed on PZT layers. Two different processes of PZT elaboration were made and studied with this apparatus. The reproducibility of one fabrication process was tested and results are presented in this paper.