Influence of crystallization kinetics on texture of sol-gel PZT and BST thin films

The evolution of morphology of sol-gel PZT and BST thin films during rapid thermal annealing (RTA) is investigated by recording of elastic light scatt ering data in reflected mode. The analysis of film morphology and texture e volution obtained by XRD reveals the dependence of crystallization kinetics on the annealing conditions. The evolution of film morphology during the t ransition to the perovskite phase is analysed by the time dependence of fra ctal dimensionality. The parameters characterizing the kinetics of the tran sformation to the perovskite phase are extracted by mathematical treatment of experimental data. A mechanism for texture formation is proposed. (C) 19 99 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.