Electromechanical conversion efficiency of PZT films

PZT thin films have been prepared by opposed-target RF-sputtering and laser ablation. The titanium to zirconium ratios were 60/40 and 48/52. The latter films were doped with Fe and Sr (PZT 8). The dielectric constant, polarization, and d₃₃ coefficients were measured. A newly designed quadrature looper was used to acquire the polarization data and d₃₃ was measured with a stabilized interferometer. The dielectric properties (ε and P) were slightly lower but comparable to bulk values. The best d₃₃ was 7.7 (for a 60/40 film). The d₃₃ value for the 48/52 RF-sputtered films was significantly lower than what one would expect from dielectric data. PZT films as-deposited are oriented and exhibit piezoelectric activity before any poling treatment. The material was also difficult to depole