Microstructural development in solution-derived PZT thin films
Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films are of technological interest for a variety of electronic and optical applications such as nonvolatile memories, decoupling capacitors, infrared detectors, and optical storage media. Fabrication of PZT films by solution deposition techniques is attractive because of uniform, stoichiometric control at the molecular level, ease of processing, and both low capital investment and total cost. Control of phase evolution, microstructure, crystallite size and orientation, and ferroelectric domain assemblage during processing is essential to optimize electrical and/or optical properties of the films. Factors which play a major role in controlling these parameters are details of the solution chemistry and mixing, thermal processing, Pb stoichiometry, Zr/Ti ratio, and substrate characteristics. Electron microscopy techniques have been used extensively to correlate microstructural features with film processing parameters as will be emphasized in this presentation.As annealing temperature is increased, phase evolution in PZT thin films typically proceeds from amorphous to pyrochlore to the ferroelectric perovskite phase. Fine-grained pyrochlore crystallizes from the amorphous film at low annealing temperatures and also precedes crystallization of the perovskite phase at higher temperatures. There is evidence that the Zr/Ti stoichiometry influences the microstructure of the amorphous-to-pyrochlore transformation.