Synthesis of Lead Zirconate Antiferroelectric Thin Films by Sol-Gel Processing

A modified methoxyethanol sol-gel process was used for the production of PbZrO3 thin films. The new route uses lead oxide [PbO] instead of lead acetate [Pb(OAc)2]. Through the use of this method it is possible to prepare single-phase perovskite materials with improved properties. Examples are given for PbZrO3 thin layers deposited by the spin coating process on TiO2/Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates from various sols where lead acetate or lead oxide are used as the starting lead compound. The preferred orientation and the perovskite phase content of the films were studied using X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for microstructural characterization of the…