The domain switching and structural characteristics of PLZT bulk ceramics and thin films chemically prepared from the same acetate precursor solutions

Lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) ferroelectrics were produced in bulk ceramic and thin-film form from the same acetate precursor solutions in order to compare their electrical and physical properties. Bulk ceramics were hot pressed from chemically coprecipitated powders, and thin films were fabricated by spin coating on silver foil and platinum-coated silicon wafer substrates. A number of PLZT compositions were investigated, including ferroelectric memory materials near the morphotropic phase boundary with 2% La, memory and slim-loop ferroelectric x/65/35 (La/Zr/Ti) compositions with up to 12% La, as well as some antiferroelectric thin-film materials. Internal film stress from thermal expansion mismatch between films and substrates was found to contribute to differences in electrical properties and Curie temperatures between the thin film and bulk materials, as were interface layers between the films and substrates, mechanical clamping from the substrates and grain size.