| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1488067 | Materials Research Bulletin | 2015 | 6 Pages |
•Pyrochlore phase crystallizes near the bottom film-electrode interface.•PLZT films show a non-uniform microstrain and crystallite size in depth profile.•Complex grainy structure leads to different elastic modulus at the nanoscale.
Polycrystalline lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin films have been prepared by a polymeric chemical route to understand the mechanisms of phase transformations and map the microstructure and elastic properties at the nanoscale in these films. X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) have been used as investigative tools. On one side, PLZT films with mixed-phase show that the pyrochlore phase crystallizes predominantly in the bottom film-electrode interface while a pure perovskite phase crystallizes in top film surface. On the contrary, pyrochlore-free PLZT films show a non-uniform microstrain and crystallite size along the film thickness with a heterogeneous complex grainy structure leading to different elastic properties at nanoscale.
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