Lead loss, preferred orientation, and the dielectric properties of sol-gel prepared lead titanate thin films

Abstract
The PbO loss during rapid thermal annealing of PbTiO3 thin films prepared by the sol‐gel method has been investigated using electron probe microanalysis. The results have been correlated with the x‐ray diffraction analyses and the dielectric properties of the films. The films start to loose PbO significantly during annealing at 600 °C for 60 s. After annealing at 700 °C the Pb/Ti ratios decrease down to 1.0 independent of the amount of excess PbO of the solutions. No PbO crystalline phases are observed in the x‐ray diffraction patterns, therefore the excess PbO is assumed to remain in the films as an amorphous phase.