High energy-storage performance in Pb0.91La0.09(Ti0.65Zr0.35)O3 relaxor ferroelectric thin films

In this work, 1-mu m-thick relaxor ferroelectric (FE) films with a typical composition of Pb0.91La0.09(Ti0.65Zr0.35)O-3 (PLZT 9/65/35) were successfully deposited on platinum-buffered silicon substrates via a sol-gel technique. The microstructure, electrical properties, and energy-storage performance of the obtained thin films were investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and field-emission scanning electron microscopy pictures indicated that the crystallized thin films showed a random orientation with uniform and dense microstructure. Electrical measurements illustrated that the relaxor FE thin films had a considerable capacitance density of 925 nF/cm(2) at 1MHz and a higher critical breakdown field of 2177 kV/cm. As a result, a large recoverable energy-storage density of 28.7 J/cm(3) was obtained in the thin films at room temperature. Moreover, good charge-discharge endurance was also realized in the FE films, confirmed by the repeated polarizationelectric field loops. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4768461]