The (1 0 0) oriented LaNiO3 (LNO) films with different thickness were prepared on SiO2/Si substrate by a modified metallorganic decomposition process. PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 (PZT) films (similar to 1 pm) subsequently deposited on LNO by modified sol-gel process. The X-ray diffraction measurements show PZT films exhibit a single perovskite phase with (100) preferred orientation. alpha 100 > 94% can be obtained for PZT deposited on LNO bottom electrode with thickness greater than 60 nm. SEM measurements show the PZT films have a columnar structure. The LNO thickness effect on P-r, E-c, and dielectric constant were investigated and showed that the thickness of the LNO bottom electrode caused drastic changes in Pr, dielectric constant and dielectric loss. Sub-switching fields dependence of permittivity were investigated for PZT films and showed that both reverible and irreversible component of the permittivity increase with the thickness of LNO electrode. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.