Preparation of PZT ferroelectric thin films by sol—gel processing and their properties

Abstract Crack-free and homogeneous compact ceramic and epitaxial lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ferroelectric thin films with perovskite structure have been prepared by sol—gel processing. Tetrabutyl titanate, lead acetate and zirconium nitrate are used as raw materials. Glacial acetic acid is used as a catalyst. Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether is used as a solvent. The annealing temperatures of the thin films are 600–900 °C. The values of the remanent polarization P r and the coercive field E c of the Pb(Zr 0.5 Ti 0.5 )O 3 ceramic thin films are 20 μC cm −2 and 40 kV cm −1 , respectively, at 1 kHz. The dielectric constant and the loss tangent are about 600 and 0.02, respectively, at room temperature and 1 kHz.