Microstructure and electrical properties of lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr-52/Ti-48)O-3) thick films deposited by aerosol deposition method

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films with a thickness of more than 10 mu m w ere prepared by the aerosol deposition method and their microstructure and chemical composition were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectra (EDX) analysis. A damage layer wa s observed at the interface between PZT and the Si substrate during the dep osition. The microstructure of the as-deposited film at room temperature co nsisted of randomly oriented small crystallites with sizes of less than 40 nm and large crystallites of 100 nm to 300 nm size, which were observed in the primary powder. The Pb/Ti/Zr ratio along the film stacking direction an d around the grain boundaries was almost the same as that observed inside t he crystallites and the primary powder with a morphotropic phase boundary c omposition of (Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3) The marked improvement of the electrica l properties observed in the deposited films after annealing was mainly due to the crystal growth of small crystallites.