AbstractA wet chemical deposition process for smooth and crackfree films in the system Pb(Zr 1-x Tix)O3 (PZT) has been developed. Final film thicknesses, reached with one coating step, were in the region of 1 μm. Starting from lead acetate trihydrate, zirconium- and titanium-n-propoxide, high molarity (> 2M) coating sols have been prepared that could be handled in air and were stable for more than 170 days.Films with compositions near the morphotropic phase boundary (x=47) and various lead contents were deposited on Pt-coated Si-wafers and Al2O3-substrates by a spin-on method. Wet films could be pyrolyzed and densified with a fast heat treatment without cracking. The crystallization of films into the desired perovskite structure started at comparatively low temperatures (ca. 530 °C) and proceeded rapidly at temperatures above 650 °C. A slight molar excess of lead and a proper heating rate were found to produce films with the best electrical properties. The films on platinized A12O3 substrates showed device-worthy dielectric and ferroelectric properties with typical values for Pn, EC, and ε, of 24 μC/cm2, 4.5 KV/mm and 650, respectively.
