Stress effects in sol-gel derived ferroelectric thin films

The effect of applied stress on the field-induced polarization switching in ferroelectric [Pb(Zr _0.52Ti _0.48)O ₃] (PZT) thin films was analyzed. The residual stress developed during the processing of sol-gel derived thin films influenced its electromechanical properties and performance. A double-beam laser-Doppler heterodyne interferometer was used for measuring the film response as a function of externally applied mechanical stress. The results show that the dependence of electromechanical response on the external stress was attributed to the initial tensile residual stress state in the film.