Pure perovskite Pb(Sc1/2Nb1/2)O-3 thin films without pyrochlore phase were prepared by the sol-gel method on TiO2/Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates. Films exhibited (111) preferred orientation and columnar microstructure. Diffuse phase transitions with permittivity maximum decreasing in value and shifting toward higher temperature with increasing frequency and slim polarization-electric field hysteresis loops typical for relaxors were observed. The maximum field-induced piezoelectric d(33) coefficient measured with ac electric field of 14 kV/cm was 58 pm/V. The d(33)-dc electric field relation is virtually hysteresis free. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.