PZT-based piezoelectric composites via a modified sol-gel route

A novel hybrid sol-gel approach is developed to prepare composite PZT films in the thickness range 1-20 mum at relatively low sintering temperatures ( <600<degrees>C). In this approach, a dip-coating method (thickness <5 <mu>m ) is used to deposit films from a sol-gel solution with dispersed PZT powde r. Thicker films (>5 mum) are fabricated using sedimentation of the PZT pow der onto Pt-coated Si substrates with a subsequent multiple infiltration of powder coatings with PZT sol-gel solution. Dielectric and ferroelectric pr operties of thick films are studied and discussed in the framework of exist ing models of composites. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.