Phase evolution and effect of pre-heating temperature on the characteristics of PZT thin films grown by using a triol sol--gel route

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films were fabricated on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) using the triol sol--gel method. The effect of the pre-heating temperature on the phase transformations, microstructures, electrical properties and ferroelectric properties of the PZT thin films was investigated. Randomly-oriented PZT thin films pre-heated at 400°C for 10?min and annealed at 600°C for 30?min showed well-defined ferroelectric hysteresis loops with a remanent polarization of 26.57?µC?cm^?2 and a coercive field of 115.42?kV?cm^?1. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the PZT films were 621 and 0.0395, respectively. The microstructures of the thin films are dense, crack-free and homogeneous with fine grains about 15–20?nm in size.