Ferroelectric composites of PZT-Pt

Ferroelectric materials are important for many industrial applications, ranging from highdielectric constant capacitors to later developments in piezoelectric transducers, sensors, actuators and memories. To meet stringent requirements for a specific application their physical properties can be tailored, e.g., by varying the synthesis conditions, doping with a foreign element or adding a second phase. In this thesis the preparation and characterisation of dual-phase PZT-Pt composites, in the form of bulk and thin films, have been presented.