Low temperature fabrication of sol-gel PZT thin films and structural characterisation of C60 precipitates formed in PZT-C60 sol

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films were prepared at 400degreesC in air by using PZT solutions containing C-60, toluene, and acetic acid. All these additives provided well-developed perovskite PZT crystals, and the formation of pyrochlore crystals was suppressed. The < 100 > preferred orientation of perovskite PZT crystals was found to develop in the PZT thin films fabricated by using the solutions;nixed with acetic acid. Needlelike and wirelike crystals of C-60 were observed to precipitate in a PZT solution containing C-60. The dielectric constant epsilon(r) and the dielectric loss tan delta of a C-60 doped PZT multilayer film prepared at 400degreesC were measured to he similar to200 anti similar to3%, respectively, for a frequency range of 500-20 000 Hz. The present low temperature sot-gel processing is expected to be utilised as 41 method Of intermediate heat treatment for the fabrication of thick multilayer PZT films for microactuators anti sensors. (C) 2001 IoM Communications Ltd.