Suitability of oxide electronic conductors [e.g. ruthenium oxide (RuOx) and indium-tin-oxide (ITO)] as contact metallization for ferroelectric films (e.g. PbZrxTi1−xO3) was investigated using techniques such as Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, x-ray diffraction and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. Thin films of RuOxand ITO were deposited on Si substrates by reactive sputtering. Either PbO or PZT (x = 0.53) films were deposited onto the conducting oxides and the specimens were annealed at various temperatures between 400°C and 700°C. Less intermixing was found in Si/RuOx/ PZT films when compared to Si/ITO/PZT under similar processing conditions. The ferroelectric properties of PZT films on RuOxelectrodes are compared to those on Pt electrodes. The PZT films show improved fatigue properties on RuOxelectrodes.