Ferroelectric/shape memory alloy thin film multilayered heterostructures possess both sensing and actuating functions and are considered to be smart. In this article, Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3 (PZT) ferroelectric thin films and Ti-riched TiNi shape memory alloy thin films have been deposited on Si and SiO2/Si substrates in the 400-600 degrees C temperature range by pulsed laser deposition technique. Deposition processing, microstructure and surface morphology of these films are described. The TiNi films deposited at 500 degrees C had an austenitic B2 structure with preferred (110) orientation. The surfaces of the films were very smooth with the root-mean-square roughness on a unit cell level. The structure of the TiNi films had a significant influence on that of the subsequently deposited PZT films. The single B2 austenite phase of the TiNi favored the growth of perovskite PZT films. The PZT/TiNi heterostructures with the PZT and TiNi films respectively deposited at 600 and 500 degrees C exhibited a polarization-electric field hysteresis behavior with a leakage current of about 2 x 10(-6) A/cm(2). (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.