Structure and properties of Sol-Gel PbZrTiO₃thin films

Abstract Crystal structure and electrical properties of PZT thin 200 nm films deposited on <111> Si substrates with a 100/20 nm <111> Pt/Ti sublayer were investigated by varying conditions of thermal treatment during gel drying and using different metals as the top electrode. Under definite conditions of gel drying a strong <100>/<001> textured films were obtained as a result of artificial epitaxy caused by stresses in the films due to their non-uniform shrinkage after drying and high temperature treatment. The electrical measurements indicate an essential role of near-electrode ionic processes and surface barriers in forming of metal-ferroelectric-metal thin film structures properties.