Abstract

An electric field induced antiferroelectric (AFE)-to-ferroelectric (FE) phase transition in lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films was shown to produce a digital birefringent change in the materials. Such field-induced AFE-to-FE phase transitions may be influenced by the interface between the PZT thin films and certain electrode materials. It has been observed that soft-ultraviolet (UV) illumination to PZT thin films effectively lift the interfacial suppression to the phase transition. Therefore, soft-UV light may be used as a writing beam to change the polarization state of the PZT thin films via the photo-activated AFE-to-FE phase transition.

© 1994 Optical Society of America