Low temperature crystallization behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotubes/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 nanocomposite thin films through annealing in various atmosphere and duration control

•Multi-walled carbon nanotubes/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 nanocomposite thin films were grown using sol–gel method.•The annealing atmosphere and duration was found to be important parameters in controlling the crystallization behavior.•Morphology, crystal structure and dielectric properties were studied upon annealing atmosphere and duration.•Nucleation behaviors of PZT crystal on the defects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes were reported.

We report a successful fabrication of 300 nm thick carbon nanotubes and Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (CNT–PZT) nanocomposite thin films with annealing temperature as low as 500 °C in H2/N2 atmosphere. Realizing the thickness of CNT–PZT nanocomposite thin films down to few hundred nanometers is one way to reduce the operating voltage of its application to micro- or nano-electromechanical system. The field emission scanning electron microscopic and atomic microscopic analysis revealed that the nanocomposite thin films annealed in H2/N2 atmosphere exhibits the most favorable surface morphology with adequate perovskite (111) reflection of PZT based on X-ray diffraction analysis. The measured dielectric constant and loss tangent of the nanocomposite thin films show that the annealing duration of 30 min promotes the optimum dielectric properties of the nanocomposite thin films. Our observations suggest that the annealing atmosphere and duration are important parameters in controlling the crystallization behavior hence the dielectric properties of the nanocomposite thin films, which can be readily applicable to other nanocomposite thin films.