Introduction to Lead Lanthanum Zirconium Titanate
PLZT (lanthanum-doped lead zirconate titanate) retains the perovskite ABO₃ structure of PZT, with La³⁺ partially substituting for Pb²⁺ and creating A-site vacancies that modify ferroelectric domain behaviour. This enables improved optical transparency while retaining useful piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and electro-optic properties. PLZT composition strongly influences its phase, dielectric response, and electro-optic performance, making precise La and Zr control essential. RF magnetron sputtering from dense ceramic PLZT targets provides uniform, composition-controlled thin films on silicon, sapphire, and platinised substrates. These films are used in electro-optic shutters, waveguide modulators, Q-switches, piezoelectric MEMS actuators, sensors, ferroelectric memory, and pyroelectric detector applications requiring wafer-scale integration.
Types & Grades of Lead Lanthanum Zirconium Titanate
Lead Lanthanum Zirconium Titanate targets are offered in standard catalogue sizes and grades, with custom purity, density, and geometry available for OEM and R&D deposition systems.
| Grade / Form | Typical Purity | Key Features / Uses |
|---|
| Standard planar disc target | 99.9% (3N) | General-purpose RF and pulsed-DC sputtering for piezoelectric and electro-optic film development |
| High-purity target | 99.99% (4N) | Reduced trace-metal content for low-defect films in electro-optic and photonic device work |
| Bonded target (indium or elastomer) | 99.9% – 99.99% | Improved thermal contact with the backing plate for sustained high-power magnetron sputtering |
| Custom PLZT composition (tuned x/y/z) | 99.9% and above | La and Zr: Ti ratio adjusted to favour electro-optic, piezoelectric, or ferroelectric memory performance |
| Research-grade small-format disc (1 in) | 99.9% – 99.99% | Prototype film deposition and process development on laboratory-scale sputtering systems |
Applications of Lead Lanthanum Zirconium Titanate
Sputtered films of Lead Lanthanum Zirconium Titanate support demanding roles across research and production applications where this material’s specific structural, electronic, or optical properties are the key requirement.
| Industry | Application | Function |
|---|
| Optoelectronics | Electro-optic modulators and light shutters | Thin film exploits the quadratic electro-optic effect to modulate light with an applied field. |
| MEMS and sensors | Piezoelectric microactuators and micromirrors | Thin-film piezoelectric layer converts electrical drive signals into precise mechanical deflection. |
| Semiconductor memory | Ferroelectric memory (FeRAM) elements | Switchable ferroelectric polarisation stores nonvolatile logic states in the deposited film |
| Infrared sensing | Uncooled pyroelectric infrared detector arrays | Pyroelectric response of the film converts incident thermal radiation into a measurable electrical signal. |
| Photonics and displays | Planar optical waveguides and integrated light modulating layers | Transparent electro-optic film supports on-chip guided-wave light control |
| Defence and aerospace optics | Fast optical shutters and laser Q-switches | Rapid electro-optic switching of the film provides sub-microsecond optical gating. |
Take the Next Step
Infinita Materials fabricates Lead Lanthanum Zirconium Titanate sputtering targets engineered to the purity, density, and geometry your deposition process requires. Whether the requirement is a standard catalogue target or a custom size, purity, or bonded assembly, our team can help match the right specification to your deposition system. Request a quote or speak with our technical team to discuss your target specification.
