Characterization of (Pb, La)TiO3 thin films prepared by sol—gel processing

(Pb, La)TiO3 (lead lanthanate titanate, PLT) ferroelectric thin films with a perovskite structure, whose composition agrees with stoichiometry and whose distribution is homogeneous, have been prepared on various substrates by sol—gel processing. Epitaxial PLT thin films have been prepared on Pt film substrates. They are (111) PLT|(111) Pt. The PLT thin films have good dielectric, ferroelectric, pyroelectric and optical properties. The dielectric constant and pyroelectric coefficient of PL15 films on a Pt film are 210 and 5.25 × 10−8 C cm−2 K−1, respectively, at room temperature. The remanent polarization Pr and the coercive field Ec of PL14 films on an Si wafer are 16.5 μC cm−2 and 60 kV cm−1, respectively. The optical transmittance of PL28 films deposited on quartz substrates is about 80% in the wavelength range 500–1000 nm.