Effects of ultraviolet (UV) laser irradiation on the local crystal structure have been investigated for amorphous Ti-O thin films sputtered on ST-cut quartz substrates. The irradiation was conducted with a pulsed KrF excimer laser of 248nm in wavelength. There were few changes in the optical transmission spectra of the films before and after the irradiation. The crystal structure of the films was characterized by electron diffraction, XPS and EXAFS analyses. The results obtained from these analyses suggest the films gradually crystallize to a TiO2 crystal with the rutile type structure by the increasing of the laser pulses.

Anomalous layers 20-40nm thick were found at the interfaces of lead zirconate-titanate films and Pt electrode films. Detailed study has shown evidence that absorption of PbO by Pt during sputtering resulted in a Pb deficiency in the PZT films and the formation of PbTi3O7 phase. The anomaly was also partly due to island formation at the initial PZT film deposition which allowed PbO to react with Pt films. The Pb controlled PZT films 50nm thick exhibited excellent ferroelectric properties comparable to thicker ones.

Si epitaxial regrowth was realized through the thick interfacial oxide films of up to 2 nm by H2 annealing. The epitaxy took place in an anomorous region when the oxide was reduced to about a half of its initial peak height, indicating that about a half of the interfacial oxide films in areawise was completely reduced. In this region, redis-tribution or diffusion of super-saturated oxygen was also observed.

A schematic model of the epitaxial regrowth by H2 annealing is presented.