Preparation of PZT ferroelectric thin films by electrochemical reduction

In this paper, we report the growth of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ferroelectric thin films, formed by means of the electrochemical reduction. In our experiment, the electrolyte was prepared by lead nitrate (Pb(NO₃)₂), zirconium oxide chloride (ZrOCl₂-8H₂O) and titanium chloride (TiCl₃) solution. A graphite plate with 1 cm of width was employed as the anode, and a stainless steel plate was employed as both cathode and substrate. The controlled current that was supplied by a DC power supply passed through the electrolyte to deoxidize PZT precursor films on the surface of the stainless steel at room temperature. The results indicate that the atomic ratio of compositions in the film can be controlled by controlling the molar concentration of electrolytic solution, current density and reaction time. The perovskite PZT thin films can be obtained when the precursor films are heated to a certain temperature for sintering.