In this work, we report the preparation of lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin films in pure perovskite phase by RF magnetron sputtering. Various deposition parameters such as target-to-substrate spacing, sputtering gas composition, deposition temperature, post-deposition annealing temperature and time have been optimized to obtain PLZT films in pure perovskite phase. The films prepared in pure argon at 100 W RF power without external substrate heating exhibit pure perovskite phase after rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 700 degrees C for 5 min. The film prepared at 225 degrees C substrate temperature also exhibits pure perovskite phase after RTA at 700 degrees C for 2 min. SIMS depth profile performed on one of the pure perovskite films (RTA at 700 degrees C for 5 min) shows very good stoichiometric uniformity of all elements of PLZT. The surface morphology of the films was examined using SEM and AFM. The dielectric, ferroelectric and electrical properties of the pure perovskite films were also investigated in detail. The remanent polarization for the films annealed at 700 degrees C for 5 and 2 min were found to be 15 and 13.5 mu C cm(-2), respectively. Both the films have high DC resistivity of the order of 10(11) Omega cm at the electric field of similar to 80 kV cm(-1). (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.