Crystallization behaviors and electric properties of (Pb0.8Ca0.2)TiO3 thin films prepared by a sol–gel route

The pure tetragonal perovskite (Pb0.8Ca0.2)TiO3 (PCT) thin films deposited on (1 1 1)Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate were successfully achieved by a sol–gel route, and the influence of pyrolysis temperature on crystallization behaviors and electric properties of the PCT films was investigated. It was found that the film pyrolyzed at 450 °C could be crystallized at temperature as low as 450 °C, while the film pyrolyzed at 350 °C is amorphous under the same crystallization temperature. It was also found that the PCT films pyrolyzed at different temperatures could be fully crystallized when the crystallization temperature was raised to 600 °C, and compared to the film pyrolyzed at 350 °C, the film pyrolyzed at 450 °C exhibited higher (1 0 0) orientation and possessed enhanced electric properties (remanent polarization ∼19.5 μC/cm2, piezoelectric constant ∼125 pm/v, pyroelectric coefficient ∼310 μC/m2K).