EFFECT OF PBTIO3 SEEDING LAYER ON THE GROWTH OF SOL-GEL-DERIVED PB(ZR0.53TI0.47)O-3 THIN-FILM

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films prepared by a sol-gel method were deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates with a seeding layer. A thin PbT iO3 layer, about 30 nm in thickness, was deposited on the Pt surface a s the seeding layer to provide a nucleation site for PZT crystallizati on. Strong (001)-preferred orientation of PZT was observed when the se eding layer was deposited by pulsed laser ablation at room temperature and annealed subsequently. This result was explained by a ''two-step growth'' model. The texture and microstructure of PZT films can be con trolled by the introduction of a thin seeding layer which lowers the c rystallization temperature and makes it possible to obtain films compo sed of very fine grains. The dielectric properties of ferroelectric ma terials could be controlled by changing the grain size.