USE OF TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF RAPID THERMALLY ANNEALED, SOLUTION-GEL, LEAD-ZIRCONATE-TITANATE FILMS

The microstructure and preferred orientations of rapid thermally annea led Pb(Zr0.53, Ti0.47)O3 films, deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si electrode/s ubstrates by solution-gel spinning, have been investigated using analy tical and high-resolution electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. T he temperature of pyrolysis of the PZT filMS was found to influence th e preferred orientation of the film: lower temperatures (350-degrees-C ) favored a (111) orientation, whereas higher temperatures (420-degree s-C) favored a (100) orientation. Excess Pb was used to control the A- site stoichiometry of the film particularly at the film surface where Pb-deficient crystals could often be observed. The absence of these cr ystals was shown to be correlated with an improvement in the dielectri c response.