Effect of fatigue on the pyroelectric and dielectric properties of PZT films

Sol-gel derived lead zirconate titanate (PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3) films of thickne ss 1 mum were deposited on RuO2/SiO2/Si and Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates. The c rystallization of the films was studied by X-ray diffraction. The pyroelect ric coefficient and dielectric permittivity of the PZT films were also inve stigated. It is well known that the use of oxide electrodes can reduce fati gue in PZT thin films. In this work, the effect of fatigue on the dielectri c and pyroelectric properties of 1 mum thick PZT films was studied by compa ring these properties before and after fatigue tests. As a fatigued film ha s lower switchable polarization, this study will reveal the correlation bet ween dielectric and pyroelectric properties of PZT films and switchable pol arization. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.