Contribution of structural order-disorder to the room-temperature photoluminescence of lead zirconate titanate powders

Intense and broad visible photoluminescent (PL) band was observed at room temperature in structurally disordered PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 powders. The lead zirconate titanate PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 powders prepared by the polymeric precursor method and heat treated at different temperatures were structurally characterized at long range by means of X-ray diffraction. The PL was measured at room temperature samples heat treated at different temperatures. Experimental measurements and quantum-mechanical calculations showed that the high structural order and the high structural disorder in PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 lattice are not favorable to the intense PL emission. Only samples containing simultaneous structural order and disorder in their lattice present the intense visible PL emission at room temperature. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Characterization of lanthanum-doped bismuth titanate thin films prepared by polymeric precursor method

Lanthanum-modified bismuth titanate, Bi4-xLaxTi3O12 (BLT), with x ranging from 0 to 0.75 was grown on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates using a polymeric precursor solution and spin-coating method. The dielectric constant of highly doped bismuth titanate was equal to 148 while dielectric losses remained low (tan delta = 0.0018), and the films showed well-saturated polarization-electric field curves (2P(r) = 40.6 muC/cm(2) and V-c = 0.99 V). The leakage current densities improve for the lanthanum-doped system. For five-layered BLT films with x = 0.75, a charge storage density of 35 fC/mum(2) and a thickness of 320 nm were found. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dielectric investigations of vanadium modified barium zirconium titanate ceramics obtained from mixed oxide method

Vanadium modified barium zirconium titanate ceramics Ba(Zr(0.10)Ti(0.90))O(3):2V (BZT:2V) were prepared from the mixed oxide method. According to X-ray diffraction analysis, addition of vanadium leads to ceramics free of secondary phases. Electrical characteristics reveal a dielectric permittivity at around 15,000 with low dielectric loss with a remnant polarization (P(r))of 8 mu C/cm(2) at 2 kV/cm. From the obtained results, we assume that vanadium substitution in the BZT lattice affects dielectric characteristics due to the electron-relaxation-mode in which carriers (polarons, protons, and so on) are coupled with existing dielectric modes. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Photoluminescence of barium titanate and barium zirconate in multilayer disordered thin films at room temperature

The emission of wide band photoluminescence showed a synergic effect on barium zirconate and barium titanate thin films in alternate multilayer system at room temperature by 488 nm exiting wavelength. The thin films obtained by spin-coating were annealed at 350, 450, and 550 degrees C for 2 h. The X-ray patterns revealed the complete separation among the BaTiO3 and BaZrO3 phases in the adjacent films. Visible and intense photoluminescence was governed by BaZrO3 thin films in the multilayer system. Quantum mechanics calculations were used in order to simulate ordered and disordered thin films structures. The disordered models, which were built by using the displacement of formers and modifier networks, showed a different symmetry in each system, which is in accordance with experimental photoluminescence emission, thus allowing to establish a correlation among the structural and optical properties of these multilayered systems.

Strontium zirconate heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity evaluation

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Mechanically activating formation of layered structured bismuth titanate

Bismuth titanatc-Bi(4)Ti(3)O(12) (BIT) with wide application in the electronic industry as capacitors, memory devices and sensors is the simplest compound in the Aurivillius family, which consists of (Bi(2)O(2))(2+) sheets alternating with (Bi(2)T(i)3O(10))(2-) perovskite-like layers. The synthesis of more resistive BIT ceramics would be preferable advance in obtaining of well-densified ceramic with small grains randomly oriented to limit the conductivity along the (Bi(2)O(2))(2+) layers. Having in mind that the conventional ceramic route for the synthesis can lead to non-stoichiometry in composition, in consequence of the undesirable loss in bismuth content through volatilization of Bi(2)O(3) at elevated temperature, our efforts were addressed to preparation of BIT by mechanical activation the constituent oxides. The nucleation and phase formation of BIT, crystal structure, microstructure, powder particle size and specific surface area were followed by XRD, Rietveld refinement analysis, thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the BET specific surface area measurements. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The origin of photoluminescence in amorphous lead titanate

We discuss the nature of visible photoluminescence at room temperature in amorphous lead titanate in the light of the results of recent experimental and theoretical calculations. Experimental results obtained by XANES and EXAFS revealed that amorphous lead titanate is composed of a Ti-O network having fivefold Ti coordination and NBO-type (non-bridging oxygen) defects. These defects can modify the electronic structure of amorphous compounds. Our calculation of the electronic structure involved the use of first-principle molecular calculations to simulate the variation of the electronic structure in the lead titanate crystalline phase, which is known to have a direct band gap, and we also made an in-depth examination of amorphous lead titanate. The results of our theoretical calculations of amorphous lead titanate indicate that the formation of fivefold coordination in the amorphous system may introduce delocalized electronic levels in the HOMO ( highest occupied molecular orbital) and the LUMO ( lowest unoccupied molecular orbital). A comparison of the experimental and theoretical results of amorphous compounds suggests the possibility of a radiative recombination (electron-hole pairs), which may be responsible for the emission of photoluminescence. (C) 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Attainment of lead titanate - Through the thermal decomposition of coprecipitated 8-hydroxyquinolinate precursors

Crystalline PbTiO3 was obtained through the thermal decomposition of 8-hydroxyquinolinate of lead(II) and that of titanium(IV), which was monitored by TG/DTG/DTA under different atmospheric conditions and with varying heating rates. The compound was prepared from adding 8-hydroxyquinoline solution in the solution of metallic ions Pb(II):Ti(IV) (1:1) Linder constant stirring at 3degreesC, having the pH adjusted to 10. The results of these investigations show that different thermal behavior related to the precursor occurred and also the consequent formation of residues which have different crystallinities. No carbonate residues from the thermal decomposition could be determined by XRD and IR. Only PbTiO3 was observed and confirmed by DSC at 470degreesC, temperature lower than the tetragonal-cubic transition.

Photoluminescence in amorphous zirconium titanate

Photoluminescence at room temperature was observed in amorphous zirconium titanate obtained from the polymeric precursor method. This was the first time in which PL was noticed in an amorphous compound made of two network formers. The PL spectra could be deconvoluted into two bands, whose center 1 was located from 540 nm to 552 nm and center 2 from 625 nm to 641 nm. The co-existence of fivefold and sixfold oxygen coordination of titanium and/or zirconium could be the origin of the radiative recombination of electron-hole pairs in amorphous ZT, which may be responsible for the emission of the photoluminescence.

Electrical characterization of lead zirconate titanate prepared by organic solution route

Two series of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics with composition Zr/Ti approximate to 53/47 have been prepared by the organic solution route. The effects on the electrical properties of calcination temperature in one series and of sintering time period in the other were examined. Dielectric constant, electrical conductivity and impedance spectroscopy results differed from one series to the other, probably due to differences in structure of the precursor powders, as seen by X-ray diffraction. Tetragonal and rhombohedral phases predominate in the powders used, respectively, in the calcined and sintered series. Physical and electrical behavior of ceramics prepared from predominantly rhombohedral powder suggests the evaporation of PbO. The presence of two semi-circles in impedance plots leads to the association of the low frequency semi-circle to the presence of PbO, which, apparently, was not eliminated from ceramics prepared from predominantly tetragonal powder. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ltd and Techna S.r.l. All rights reserved.

Microstructural, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of calcium-modified lead titanate thin films derived by chemical processes

Ferroelectric Pb1-xCaxTiO3 (x = 0.24) thin films were formed on a Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate by the polymeric precursor method using the dip-coating technique for their deposition. Characterization of the films bq X-ray diffraction showed a perovskite single phase with a tetragonal structure after annealing at 700 degreesC. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses showed that the film had a smooth and crack-free surface with low surface roughness. In addition, the PCT thin film had a granular structure with an 80 nm grain size. The thickness of the films observed by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is 550 nm and there is a good adhesion between the film and substrate. For the electrical measurements metal-ferroelectric-metal of the type capacitors were obtained, where the thin films showed good dielectric and ferroelectric properties. The dielectric constant and dissipation factor at 1 kHz and measured at room temperature were found to be 457 and 0.03. respectively. The remanent polarization and coercive field for the: deposited films were P-r = 17 muC/cm(2) and E-c = 75 kV/cm, respectively. Moreover. The 550-nm-thick film showed a current density in the order of 10(-8) A/cm(2) at the applied voltage of 2 V. The high values of the thin film's dielectric properties are attributed to its excellent microstructural quality and the chemical homogeneity obtained by the polymeric precursor method. (C) 2001 Elsevier science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topotatic-like phase transformation of amorphous lead titanate to cubic lead titanate

The crystallization process of lead titanate (PT) prepared using the polymeric precursor method was investigated using X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques. The results showed that amorphous PT was formed by an O-Ti-O structure composed of fivefold and sixfold oxygen-coordinated titanium. The local structure of the amorphous PT phase was similar to that of the cubic PT phase, i.e., similar coordination number and similar bond lengths, leading to a topotactic-like transformation during the phase transformation from amorphous to cubic perovskite PT. Because of the low crystallization temperature, every transformation observed during the crystallization process was associated with a short-range rearrangement process.

Conductivity mechanism analysis at high temperature in bismuth titanate: A single crystal with sillenite-type structure

Conductivity behavior of the Bi12TiO20 single crystal was investigated by the electric modulus spectroscopy, which was carried out in the frequency range from 5 Hz to 13 MHz and at temperatures higher than 400 degrees C. The resistance curve exhibits a set of properties correlated to a negative temperature coefficient thermistor. In the temperature range investigated, the characteristic parameter (,8) of the thermistor is equal to 4834 degrees C. Temperature coefficients of the resistance (a) were derived being equal to -3.02 x 10(-2) degrees C-1 at 400 degrees C and equal to -9.86 x 10(-3) degrees C-1 at 700 degrees C. The nature of the electric relaxation phenomenon and magnitude dc conductivity are approached. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Electromechanical properties of calcium bismuth titanate films: A potential candidate for lead-free thin-film piezoelectrics

CaBi4Ti4O15 (CBTi144) thin films were evaluated for use as lead-free thin-film piezoelectrics in microelectromechanical systems. The films were grown by the polymeric precursor method on (100)Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates. The a/b-axis orientation of the ferroelectric film is considered to be associated with the preferred orientation of the Pt bottom electrode. The P-r and E-c were 14 mu C/cm(2) and 64 kV/cm, respectively, for a maximum applied field of 400 kV/cm. The domain structure was investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy. The film has a piezoelectric coefficient, d(33), equal to 60 pm/V and a current density of 0.7 mA/cm(2).

Ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of bismuth titanate thin films grown on different bottom electrodes by soft chemical solution and microwave annealing

Bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12, BIT) films were evaluated for use as lead-free piezoelectric thin films in micro-electromechanical systems. The films were grown by the polymeric precursor method on LaNiO3/SiO2/Si (1 0 0) (LNO), RuO2/SiO2/Si (1 0 0) (RuO2) and Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si (1 0 0) (Pt) bottom electrodes in a microwave furnace at 700 degrees C for 10 min. The domain structure was investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Although the converse piezoelectric coefficient, d(33), regardless of bottom electrode is around (similar to 40 pm/V), those over RuO2 and LNO exhibit better ferroelectric properties, higher remanent polarization (15 and 10 mu C/cm(2)), lower drive voltages (2.6 and 1.3 V) and are fatigue-free. The experimental results demonstrated that the combination of the polymeric precursor method assisted with a microwave furnace is a promising technique to obtain films with good qualities for applications in ferroelectric and piezoelectric devices. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.