Patent ID: 7261918

Claim:
A method of forming a PLZT layer comprising the steps of: (a) coating a substrate with a solution that comprises lead atoms, lanthanum atoms, zirconium atoms, titanium atoms, and one or more diol compounds to form a material layer, wherein the solution has a stoichiometric target for the number of lead atoms, the stoichiometric target being equal to the number of zirconium atoms plus the number of titanium atoms minus 75% of the number of lanthanum atoms, wherein the number of lead atoms in the solution is in the range of 122% to 130% of the stoichiometric target; (b) heating the material layer to a temperature above room temperature and less than or equal to 400° C. for a first period of time; and (c) thereafter heating the material layer at a rate of at least 10° C. per second to a temperature of 600° C. or more in an oxygen-rich atmosphere for a subsequent second period of time.