Thin films of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3 (PZT) were deposited by pulsed laser deposition on ZnO/Al2O3 (0001) layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy, and Pt/SiO2/Si substrates. The ZnO epilayers serve as a crystalline oxide template for PZT deposition, and a conducting material that may be used for electrodes in thin film ferroelectric capacitors. The PZT thin films (thickness similar to 300 nm) deposited on the ZnO epilayers were determined to be crystalline with preferential (110) orientation based on X-ray diffraction measurements. In comparison, PZT thin films deposited on Pt/SiO2/Si possess a random crystalline orientation with reduced crystalline quality. Capacitors fabricated from the PZT thin films deposited on ZnO/Al2O3 demonstrate ferroelectric hysteresis behavior with a remenant polarization of 15 mu C/cm(2) and coercive field of 55 kV/cm. The crystalline properties and ferroelectric behavior of the PZT suggest that ZnO/Al2O3 may provide a desirable platform for future ferroelectric devices. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.