Ferroelectric phase transition in Pb0.60Sr0.40TiO3 thin films

Polycrystalline Pb0.60Sr0.40TiO3 thin films with the tetragonal perovskite structure were grown on platinum-coated silicon substrates by a chemical method. Raman results reveal that A1(1TO) symmetry modes, also known as soft modes, persist above the phase transition temperature. This is due to the high structural distortion caused by the substitution effect of Sr2+ for Pb2+ ions. In contrast, the E(1TO) symmetry mode vanishes at 498 K, characterizing the ferroelectric–paraelectric transition phase. However, the Raman spectra, as a function of temperature, reveal that the ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition may be correlated with a diffuse phase transition. The experimental data obtained from measurements of the dielectric constant as a function of temperature and frequencies showed a classical behavior of ferroelectric phase transition in Pb0.60Sr0.40TiO3 thin films, rather than a relaxor ferroelectric phase transition.