Effect of microwave annealing temperatures on lead zirconate titanate thin films

Lead zirconate titanate (Pb(1.1)(Zr(0.52)Ti(0.48))O(3)) thin films of thickness 260 nm on Pt/Ti/SiO(2)/Si substrates were densified by 2.45 GHz microwave annealing. The PZT thin films were annealed at various annealing temperatures from 400 to 700 °C for 30 min. X-ray diffraction showed that the pyrochlore phase was transformed to the perovskite phase at 450 °C and the film was fully crystallized. The secondary (again pyrochlore) phase was observed in the PZT thin films, which were annealed above 550 °C. The surface morphologies were changed above 550 °C of the PZT thin films due to the secondary phase. Higher dielectric constant (ε(r)) and lower dielectric loss coercive field (E(c)) were achieved for the 450 °C film than for the other annealed films.