Influence of Zr/Ti ratio on electrical properties of PZT thick films deposited by aerosol deposition process

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thick films with thickness of 10 mu m were deposited on silicon and sapphire substrates by aerosol deposition process at room temperature. The films with Zr/Ti ratio of 45155, 52/48 and 60/40 were fabricated in order to investigate the effect of compositional modifications on the electrical properties of PZT thick films. Microscopic examination of the films revealed dense microstructures with no crack. After deposition, the films were annealed at 600, 700 and 900 C for 1h in an electric furnace. The annealed films showed markedly improved electrical properties in comparison with the as-deposited films. Relative dielectric constant was the highest for the PZT (52/48) film. As the Zr/Ti ratio was increased, the remanent polarization and the coercive field were decreased. PZT (52/48) film annealed at 900 C for I h exhibited the best overall combination of electrical properties.