Development of PZMN-PT films

• Main Author: Teng, Chen Shun.
• Other Authors: Ma Jan
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/15331
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The relaxor ferroelectric PZMN-PT (Pb(Zn,Mg)1/3Nb2/3O3-PbTiO3) system has been garnering interest in recent years as the addition of PMN to the PZN-PT system is able to generate a system that has high dielectrical and optical properties at the Morphotropic Phase Boundary (MPB). However, to suppress the pyrochlore formation and to obtain high perovskite content has proved to be very difficult. Up to now, only a handful of papers have discussed the effect of promoting the perovskite formation with the addition of chemical modifiers. Hence, this report will be focusing on the optimization of processing parameters in obtaining PZMN-PT films with high perovskite content. The processing parameters investigated includes, the optimal annealing time and annealing temperature. The novel method of using 18-Crown-6 (18C6) as a chemical modifier was also tested in this report. 18-Crown-6 being a crown ether, exhibits certain affinity to cations and thus, in theory is able to stabilize the Pb2+ ions and prevent them from reacting with other elements in the sol-gel precursor. Theroetically, this will be able to promote perovskite formation. How the amount of 18-Crown-6 addition affects the perovskite formation was investigated. The effect of 18-Crown-6 on the electrical and optical properties of the PZMN-PT system was also investigated in this report. The effect of different PT content on the PZMN-PT system was also investigated. Mainly, the morphology, electrical and optical properties were compared between the adding 23%PT which is the MPB system and adding 43%PT, both with the addition of 18-Crown-6. Future works can be carried out in investigating the detailed effect of 18-Crown-6 addition on the E-O properties of the PZMN-PT system. This will give a better idea on how the electrical and optical properties of the PZMN-PT system can be affected by the 18-Crown-6 modifier.