A model of phase transition kinetics in lead scandium tantalate thin films

The phase transformations from amorphous to pyrochlore to perovskite in lead scandium tantalate (PST) thin films during rapid thermal annealing process (RTA) have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The growth and decay of the pyrochlore phase, the growth of the perosvkite PST were analysed using the Avrami model. Integral equations have been derived and numerical calculation been used to simulate the volume fractions for pyrochlore and perovskite as functions of annealing time. Transformation parameters k and n were obtained by comparing the simulated to the experimental intensities using a least-squares curve fitting technique. Activation energies for perovskite formation were calculated. The results indicate that the phase transitions are diffusion-limited. TEM, SEM, and EDS were employed to study the lead loss and other factors affecting phase transitions.