Preparation of crack-free antiferroelectric PbZrO3 thin films by a two-step annealing process

Crack-free antiferroelectric PbZrO3(PZ) thin films were prepared by a two-step annealing technique via a modified sol-gel process. Although x-ray diffraction results showed that single phase of perovskite PbZrO3 was obtained in the thin films annealed at 550, 700, and 550 degrees C/700 degrees C, double P-E hysteresis loop indicating phase transformation from antiferroelectric to ferroelectric phase was only observed for the two-step annealed PZ thin film at room temperature, with a forward switching field (EAFE-FE) of 151 kV/cm, a backward switching field (EFE-AFE) of about 77 kV/cm, and saturated polarization of 54 mu C/cm(2). The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the PZ film annealed at 700 degrees C are 260 and 0.04 at 1 kHz, respectively. The prevention of the PZ film from being cracking by the two-step annealing procedure is believed to be a result of the more stable property of the film caused by the 550 degrees C pre-annealing. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)04842-7].