Self-separated hydrothermal lead zirconate titanate thick films for high frequency transducer applications

Abstract

Using a simple rapid heating process, Pb(Zr(0.52)Ti(0.48))O(3) (PZT) thick films prepared by hydrothermal method were separated from a Ti substrate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the self-separated films were crack-free. After solution infiltration and high temperature annealing, the PZT thick films were shown to possess good electric properties. At 1 kHz, the dielectric constant and the loss were 593 and 0.05, respectively. The remnant polarization was 30.0 muCcm(2) at room temperature. A high frequency single element ultrasound transducer fabricated with these films showed a bandwidth at -6 dB of 73% at a center frequency of 67 MHz.

Figure 1

XRD pattern of hydrothermal PZT thick films on Ti substrate.

Figure 2

SEM surface micrographs of the PZT thick films: (a) without infiltration without high temperature sintering, (b) without infiltration with high temperature sintering, and (c) with infiltration with high temperature sintering.

Figure 3

Frequency dependence of the dielectric constants and losses of the PZT thick films (sample A: without infiltration without high temperature sintering; sample B: without infiltration with high temperature sintering; sample C: with infiltration with high temperature sintering).

Figure 4

Polarization–electric field hysteresis loops of the PZT thick films (sample A: without infiltration without high temperature sintering; sample B: without infiltration with high temperature sintering; sample C: with infiltration with high temperature sintering).

Figure 5

Pulse echo response and spectrum of the single element transducer.