Phase and electrical properties of PZT thin films embedded with CuO nano-particles by a hybrid sol-gel route

• Published in: Electronic materials letters 2013, 9(4), , pp.409-412
• Main Authors: Sreesattabud, Tharathip, Gibbons, Brady J., Watcharapasorn, Anucha, Jiansirisomboon, Sukanda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Fatigue (materials); Ferroelectric materials; Lead zirconate titanates; Materials Science; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Optical and Electronic Materials; Switching; Thin films; 전자/정보통신공학
• ISSN: 1738-8090; 2093-6788
• DOI: 10.1007/s13391-013-0009-1

Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 or PZT thin films embedded with CuO nano-particles were successfully prepared by a hybrid sol-gel process. In this process, CuO (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 1 wt. %) nanopowder was suspended in an organometallic solution of PZT, and then coated on platinised silicon substrate using a spin-coating technique. The influence of CuO nano-particles’ dispersion on the phase of PZT thin films was investigated. XRD results showed a perovskite phase in all films. At the CuO concentration of 0.4–1 wt. %, a second phase was observed. The addition of CuO nano-particles affected the orientation of PZT thin films. The addition was also found to reduce the ferroelectric properties of PZT thin films. However, at 0.2 wt. % CuO concentration, the film exhibited good ferroelectric properties similar to those of PZT films. In addition, the fatigue retention properties of the PZT/CuO system was observed, and it showed 14% fatigue at 10 8 switching bipolar pulse cycles while the fatigue in PZT thin films was found to be 17% at the same switching bipolar pulse cycles.