Characterization of lead zirconate titanate (53/47) films fabricated by a simplified sol–gel acetic-acid route

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 1981 - 1988
• Main Authors: Mayen-Mondragon, R, Yanez-Limon, J M, Moya-Canul, K M, Herrera-Gomez, A, Vazquez-Lepe, M, Espinoza-Beltran, F, Lopez Beltran, AM
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.06.2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Annealing; Applied sciences; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Cold working, work hardening; annealing, quenching, tempering, recovery, and recrystallization; textures; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Ferroelectric materials; Ferroelectricity; Lead zirconate titanates; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials; Materials Science; Materials synthesis; materials processing; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Silicon substrates; Sol gel process; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties; Energy Dispersion Spectroscopy; Rapid Thermal Annealing; Lead Zirconate Titanate; Perovskite Phase; Remnant Polarization; Force measurement; Densification; Perovskite type compound; Lead titanates; Crystallization; Ferroelectric domain; Roughness; PZT; IV-VI compound; Lead zirconates; Hysteresis loop; Zirconium; Quaternary compound; Ferroelectric materials; Silicon oxides; Sol gel process; Spin-on coatings; Testing equipment; Organic material; Titanium; Spin-on coating; Thermal annealing; Ferroelectric thin films; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-012-1045-6

Lead zirconate titanate [PZT (53/47)] films (around 200 nm thick) were prepared by the sol–gel acetic-acid route, spin-coating onto Si/SiO 2 /Pt substrates. A simple thermal annealing program rendered complete crystallization to the perovskite phase and full removal of the organic material. The 53/47 film composition was attained in the bulk, however, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy detected a different titanium/zirconium ratio at the film surface. Hysteresis loops were measured using a film-tester constructed at our laboratory. The single-annealed films showed a high resistive leakage. A second annealing cycle led to a better film densification and a marked reduction in surface roughness, significantly enhancing the ferroelectric response. Ferroelectric domains were mapped by piezoresponse force measurements. The relatively-simple experimental procedure applied allowed the fabrication of good quality ferroelectric films.