Nano-tribological characteristics of PZT thin film investigated by atomic force microscopy

In this work, the nano-scale tribological characteristics of PZT thin films (Pb(ZrxTi1 − x)O3: PZT) with various Zr/Ti ratios were investigated using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The PZT thin films deposited by the sol–gel method were characterized by using an AFM, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and a nano-indentation technique. From the experimental results, the friction coefficient of the PZT thin film was found to be about 0.1–0.2 under a 0.1–10 μN normal force. It was determined that the wear rate of the PZT thin film was in the order of 10− 8 mm3/N·cycle. Also, it was observed that the crystalline structure of the PZT was amorphized due to mechanical stress.