Low temperature firing of PZT thick films prepared by screen printing method

PZT thick films were prepared on alumina substrate by screen printing method. The paste was made from PbTiO3-PbZrO3-Pb(Mn1/3Nb2/3)O-3 ternary system with 1 wt.% excess PbO and organic vehicles. Screen-printed thick films were fired at 750-950degreesC for 1 h either in air or PbO atmosphere (PbZrO3 + 10 mol%ZrO2). Pyrochlore phase was observed in PZT thick films fired in air at 950degreesC in addition to a perovskite phase, while only a perovskite phase was formed in PbO atmosphere. PZT thick films fired in PbO atmosphere showed denser microstructure and better ferroelectric properties than those fired in air. The PZT thick film fired at 800degreesC in PbO atmosphere showed very well developed P-E hysteresis, remanent polarization of 28.0 muC/cm(2) and coercive field of 52.7 kV/cm. The PZT thick film fired at 800degreesC in PbO atmosphere can be applied to fabrications of piezoelectric microactuators or microsensors using Si micromachining technology. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.