Piezoforce microscopy study of lead-free perovskite Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 thin films

As a promising lead-free ferroelectric material, Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (NBT) was synthesized as thin films via a classic 2-methoxyethanol sol-gel route and chemical solution deposition method. Perovskite structure with random orientation of crystallites has been obtained on platinized silicon wafer at low temperature (460 degrees C). Piezoelectric activity in such films was detected using electrical analysis. X-ray diffraction and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) have been used to analyze NBT thin films with different microstructures and properties dependent on fabrication and annealing processes. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.