Lowering of Crystallization Temperature of Dielectric Thin Films by Seeding with Crystalline Nanoparticles

Abstract

Ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films seeded with barium strontium titanate (BST) crystalline nanoparticles were prepared by the complex alkoxide precursor method on Pt electrode. Their crystallization temperatures were 100°C lower than those of non-seeded PZT films. The crystalline nuclei of the BST particles surface promoted the phase transformation of PZT films into perovskite. The dielectric constants were 100 - 500 for the 25.1mol% BST nanoparticles-seeded PZT films annealed at 420 - 600°C for 1h in air.