Effect of poly(vinyl acetate) on structures and properties of PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 thick films.

PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) thick films are prepared by a polymer-assisted metallo-organic compound decomposition process. The addition of a polymer, poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), in PZT precursor solutions promotes the formation of the perovskite phase. Meanwhile, the crack formation is effectively suppressed. The single-layer thickness of PZT films increases from 0.07 to 0.22 μm. It is found that PZT recrystallizes after the PVAc-related organic compounds are decomposed. Nanosized pores are observed in the morphological surfaces of PZT thick films. The crack-free PZT thick films with thickness of 1.3 μm by the repeated deposition exhibit good electrical properties with dielectric constant of 996, dielectric loss around of 3%, remanent polarization of 36.3 μC/cm2, and coercive field of 78.5 kV/cm, which are potential candidates for microelectromechanical system (MEMS) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]