Acetic acid based sol-gel PLZT thin films: Processing and characterization

PLZT 4/65/35 thin films were prepared by the acetic acid based sol-gel rout e. The choice of lanthanum precursor, i.e., acetate or nitrate, influences the functional group content of formamide modified sols and the microstruct ure of the thin films. The lanthanum nitrate based PLZT thin film deposited on Si/SiO2/TiO2/Pt/TiO2 substrate has a columnar perovskite grain structur e, while the lanthanum acetate based one is characterized by a lead-silicon containing reaction layer beneath the platinum electrode. Although lead is depleted from the PLZT thin film the perovskite structure is retained by t he use of the top layer with a large excess of PbO.