PbZrxTi1-xO3 hydrothermal synthesis on titanium substrate for actuators

This paper reports on a new single hydrothermal process for the deposition of PZT thin films on titanium substrates. The Zr/(Zr + Ti) ratio is adjuste d by controlling the Ti and Zr ionic concentrations. The films are analysed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Elec tron Microscopy (SEM). A PZT film of 5 mu m thickness (Zr = 0.52, Ti = 0.48 ) very interesting from the point of view of piezoelectric constants, was s uccessfully obtained by the control of ions concentration in the solution. The XRD patterns show well-defined peaks corresponding to a wellcrystallise d PZT phase with the ratio Zr/(Zr + Ti) = 0.52. This composition is called the morphotropic-phase boundary (MPB), which means the separation between t he tetragonal and rhombohedral phases. SEhlI micrographs show microcrystall ine thin films with homogenous thickness and distribution on the titanium s ubstrate. The microcrystals are cubic. It is demonstrated that large vibrat ion amplitudes can be excited with these films under low voltage supply (5 V).