Sol-gel fabrication of nanocomposites: Alternate thin layers of PbTiO₃ and PbZrO₃

Ferroelectric lead titanate and lead zirconium titanate, antiferroelectric lead zirconate, and alternatively deposited lead titanate-lead zirconate films have been fabricated by the sol-gel method. All the films were crystallized into perovskite structure by annealing at 650°C or 700°C for 30 min. Properties of the films coated onto platinized silicon substrate were examined by XRD and SEM. Variation of dielectric constant and loss, hysteresis behavior, and I-V characteristics were measured for pure and alternatively deposited nanocomposite films in order to investigate the role of the alternatively deposited nanocomposite films on structural and electrical properties. The decrease in leakage current density of PT-PZ nanocomposite film with PT as the first and PZ as the second layer was 10 to 100 times lower than that of PT, PZ, or PZT film.