A study of the properties of acetate-derived PLZT films on glass substrates

Crack-free PZT (lead zirconate titanate) 0/65/35 films of thicknesses up to 3 μm were deposited onto glass and sapphire substrates using an acetate precursor system at a processing temperature of 500-550°C. Ferroelectric, dielectric, and electrooptic properties were measured as a function of excess PbO content from 0 to 4 mol.%. Large tensile strains and the formation of a tetragonal phase upon incorporation of PbO into the rhombohedral structure produced directionally dependent properties in the film. The measurement of ferroelectric and dielectric properties in a direction parallel to the tension axis indicated an increase in polarization with PbO content while birefringence in the perpendicular direction was reduced. This effect was attributed to preferential domain alignment and crystallographic orientation. The coexistence of a rhombohedral and tetragonal phase was also thought to be a factor in reducing hysteresis and memory effects