Ferroelectric vapor deposition targets

A method of making a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target comprising:

• positioning a prereacted ferroelectric powder within a hot press cavity, the prereacted ferroelectric powder predominately comprising individual prereacted ferroelectric particles having a maximum straight linear, dimension of from about 10 nanometers to about 50 nanometers;
• and
• hot pressing the prereacted ferroelectric powder within the cavity into a physical vapor deposition target of desired shape having a density of at least about 99% of maximum theoretical density and at least 90% of its grains to have less than or equal to 1.0 micron in maximum size.

A method of making a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target comprising:

• positioning a prereacted ferroelectric powder within a hot press cavity, the prereacted ferroelectric powder predominately comprising individual prereacted ferroelectric particles having a maximum straight linear dimension of less than or equal to about 100 nanometers;
• and
• hot pressing the prereacted ferroelectric powder within the cavity into a physical vapor deposition target of desired shape at a maximum pressing temperature which is at least 200° C. lower than would be required to produce a target of a first density of at least 85% of maximum theoretical density in hot pressing the same powder but having a predominate particle size maximum straight linear dimension of at least 1.0 micron at the same pressure and for the same amount of time, and achieving a target density greater than the first density at the lower pressing temperature.

A ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target comprising a predominate grain size of less than or equal to 1.0 micron and having a density of at least 95% of maximum theoretical density.

A ferroelectric ceramic composition comprising a predominate grain size of less than or equal to 1.0 micron and having a density of at least 95% of maximum theoretical density.