Thin films of PbTiO3 doped with 27% of lanthanum, deposited in MgO (100) substrates, were prepared by the Pechini method. The thin films present pH between 2 and 3 at the end of the process, with the appearance of crystals of Pb citrate due to the acid medium. To avoid this problem, the pH of the resin was kept between 7 and 8 by addition of ammonium hydroxide. The appearance of lead rich areas can be seen by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and confirmed by EDX analysis. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) observation was also carried out on the film surface.
thin films; lead titanate
