Piezoelectric Properties of Ink-Jet-Printed Lead Zirconate Titanate Thick Films Confirmed by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy

An ink consisting of Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 (PZT) particles with a median size of 170nm and a narrow size distribution, in a dispersion of water and glycerol, and with a low viscosity and surface tension, was used for the fabrication of thick films by piezoelectric ink-jet printing. This study reports the printing conditions, the subsequent thermal treatment of the as-deposited layers, and the properties of the sintered PZT thick film. The film, sintered at 1100 degrees C, had a locally dense microstructure and consisted of grains that are a few 100nm across, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy. A local piezoelectric response of 15pm/V was measured in the ink-jet-printed PZT thick film by piezoresponse force microscopy.