Evaluation of Pb(Zr, Ti)O₃ Films Derived from Propylene-Glycol-Based Sol-Gel Solutions

Crack-free PbZr 0.52 Ti 0.48 O 3 (PZT) films up to almost 1 µm thick have been prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO 2 /Si substrates from stable propylene-glycol (diol)-based sol-gel solutions by a single coating. We have studied the film thickness dependence of various properties such as microstructure, crystal orientation, ferroelectric properties, and leakage current density for the PZT single-coated films. It was found that the 0.22-µm-thick PZT single-coated film was a dense film with (111)-orientation and exhibited good ferroelectric properties. In order to thicken the PZT dense film, we have studied a sol-gel technique involving multiple coatings of 0.22-µm-thick layers. Finally, the 0.66- and 1.10-µm-thick PZT multicoated films have been prepared on platinized silicon substrates by three and five coatings of 0.22-µm-thick layers. Various properties of the multicoated films have also been evaluated.