Crystallization of thin polycrystalline PZT films on Si/SiO$_2$/Pt substrates

This paper reports on a study of crystallization of thin lead zirconate-titanate films deposited on Si/SiO$_2$/Pt substrates by RF magnetron sputtering at a low temperature and annealed at 540–580$^\circ$C. In this temperature interval, one observes successively two first-order phase transitions: the low-temperature pyrochlore phase–perovskite-I phase and perovskite-I phase-perovskite-II phase transitions, which are accompanied by film volume shrinkage. The phase transformations have been studied by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and visual (optical) observation of the growth of islands of a new phase. It has been found that the dielectric parameters undergo substantial changes upon the transition from phase I to phase II. The origin of the observed effects has been discussed.