Preparation and Evaluation of Pb(Zr, Ti)O₃ Thin Films for Low Voltage Operation

Abstract

Pb(Zr, Ti)O 3 (PZT) thin films with thickness of 120 nm were prepared on Pt/SiO 2 /Si substrate by using two types of sol–gel solutions. The film from modified solution consisted of uniform and small grain of perovskite phase, whereas the film from conventional solution consisted of large grain of perovskite phase and secondary phase. The film from modified solution had higher nucleation density for crystallization. That was why the different morphology between those two films occurred. The P - E hysteresis of the film from modified solution was well saturated at low applied voltage. P r and E c of the PZT(40/60) were 29.1 µC/cm 2 and 58.3 kV/cm, respectively. This modified PZT sol–gel solutions enable to get thinner films, down to 120 nm, without degradation of the morphology and the properties.