Reversible pyroelectric and photogalvanic current in epitaxial Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films

Abstract

The pyroelectric and photogalvanic effects have been studied in epitaxial Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films. Photoinduced currents, which were completely reversible by electrical voltage, were observed. The photoinduced currents exhibited transient and steady state components. The transient component, in turn, consisted of two components with fast (<1 s) and slow (∼hours) relaxation times. The mechanisms of the photoinduced currents in PZT films and their possible applications in nondestructive readout ferroelectric memory are discussed.