Influence of Thermal Treatment on the Cross-Sectional Properties of Aerosol-Deposited Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 Thick Films

The thermal treatment of electromechanically active thick films prepared by aerosol deposition (AD) is a common practice to improve their electrical and electromechanical properties. We report on how post-deposition annealing in air affects the unique cross-sectional microstructure and mechanical properties of 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.1PbTiO(3) thick films prepared by AD. Transmission electron microscopy revealed minor but detectable changes, such as pore redistribution and grain growth after annealing at 500 degrees C. We also showed that the stainless-steel substrate is strongly affected by the annealing. The hardness and Young's modulus of the films increased after annealing, with both properties being discussed in terms of their distribution over the cross-sections of the films.

Automated summary

The thermal treatment of electromechanically active thick films prepared by aerosol deposition (AD) is a common practice to improve their electrical and electromechanical properties. We studied the effects of post-deposition annealing on the unique cross-sectional microstructure and mechanical properties of 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.1PbTiO(3) thick films prepared by AD. Transmission electron microscopy revealed minor but detectable changes, such as pore redistribution and grain growth after annealing at 500 degrees C. We also demonstrated that the stainless-steel substrate is strongly influenced by the annealing. The hardness and Young's modulus of the films increased after annealing, and their distributions over the cross-sections of the films were discussed.