Growth and characterisation of lead zirconate titanate (30/70) thin films using TiO₂ seeding for oxide ferroelectric-liquid crystal display application

The growth and characterisation of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) (30/70) thin films on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass, synthesised using a sol-gel/spin coating processing route, have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmitted electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Perovskite crystallised in a random orientation, and all unseeded films showed characteristically large (∼5-10 μm diameter) rosette formations. Studies involving the use of a thin seeding layer of titanium (IV) oxide on the ITO surface, have shown promising results in increasing the seeding density of the perovskite without sacrificing the film's electrical properties. Incorporation of a TiO2 seeded PZT film into a small hybrid liquid crystal display has been done, and bulk alignment of the liquid crystal adjacent to poled regions of the PZT layer has been demonstrated which remained after the poling voltages were removed.