PZT thick films by diol chemical solution deposition

Process optimization and properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films for piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs) for scanning probe devices will be presented. The goal of the work was a replacement of the tetragenic and mutagenic solvent and a decrease of time-consuming PZT 2–methoxy ethanol (2MOE) route. An alternative diol-based solution synthesis process was developed and “Design Of Experiment” (DOE) was used to achieve processing optimization for thick and crack free films. Tight parameter control allowed to develop a highly reproducible PZT diol process. The crystallization behaviour of crack-free PbZr_0.53Ti_0.47O₃ films (1–5 μm) with oriented perovskite structure was examined by X-ray diffraction and surface analysis using scanning electron microscopy. Piezoelectric and dielectric properties were examined. The effective transverse piezoelectric coefficient e _31,f of sol–gel processed films was investigated for 4 μm thick layers. Best properties were achieved with {1 0 0}-textured films, where a remanent e _31,f value of −7.3 C/m² was measured for 4.1 μm thick films.