Simulation of Pb behaviour during the PLD growth of PbZr0.48Ti0.52O3
Lead Zirconia Titanate (PZT) is a ferroelectric and piezoelectric material that has application in sensors and actuators on the nanoscale. It has been studied in thin film form produced by many different techniques amongst which Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is the focus of this project.
The growth of PZT during PLD takes place at elevated temperature and low oxygen pressures. This creates a complex balance between the optimization of the crystal growth, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the volatile nature of Pb and PbO under these conditions. Experimentally the elemental composition of the bulk film and surface have been studied as a function of the target composition and temperature finding ill explained behaviour.
Tasks of the student: We are looking for a MSc student in physics, materials science, nanoscience, or related field with an interest in simulation and theoretical work. These listed tasks are a starting point for a project but can be adjusted to interests.
- Simulation of the growth of PZT using Monte Carlo-simulation
- Matching observations in simulations results to experimental results
- Possibly checking theoretical findings in experiments
For more information, contact:
Tom Coolman, daily supervisor (t.y.coolman@utwente.nl)
Guus Rijnders, supervisor (a.j.h.m.rijnders@utwente.nl)