Growth of ferroelectric bismuth lanthanum nickel titanate thin films by rf magnetron sputteringElectrical and optical properties of lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate thin films by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering Preparation and properties of lead-zirconate-titanate ferroelectric thin films using radio frequency planar magnetron sputteringThe physical, chemical, and electrical quality of the bottom electrode plays a key role in the fabrication of ferroelectric capacitors. In this article, we have used x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy to study the stability of the Pt/TiN/Ti/SiO 2 /Si stack before PZT film investigations. The Pt layer deposited by radio-frequency ͑rf͒ magnetron sputtering on such structure was strongly ͗111͘ oriented. The nucleation, growth, and orientation of lead zirconate titanate ͓Pb͑Zr 0.40 Ti 0.60 ͒O 3 ͔ thin film, performed by rf magnetron sputtering from ceramic target on ͗111͘ oriented platinum electrode and crystallized by rapid thermal annealing, have been investigated. The studies reveal that the PZT thin films deposited at 200°C, with a substrate-target distance equal to 5.5 cm, using 1 Pa Ar pressure, and plasma power density of 1.7 W/cm 2 allow good control of the film composition. The optimal annealing conditions have been then determined to achieve a pure perovskite structure ͑mainly ͗111͘ oriented͒. Ferroelectric hysteresis loop measurements indicated a remanent polarization of 22.0 C/cm 2 and coercive field of 50 kV/cm for the phase composition Zr/Tiϭ40/60.