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Microstructure and microstructural evolution in BaTiO3 films fabricated using the precursor method

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

L. A. Bendersky
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
C. J. Lu
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
J. H. Scott
Affiliation:
Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
K. Chang
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Center for Superconductivity Research, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
I. Takeuchi
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Center for Superconductivity Research, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
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Abstract

Pulsed laser deposition of TiO2 and BaF2 layers at room temperature and subsequent annealing in flowing oxygen were used to form homogeneous epitaxial BaTiO3 films on LaAlO3. This oxide film synthesis method, known as the precursor technique, is frequently used for making combinatorial libraries. In this paper, we investigated the microstructures of the films at different stages of annealing using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution imaging, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. It was shown that epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films with large grains could be formed on a LaAlO3 substrate. Their formation process consists of the following stages: At 200 °C, the BaF2 layer is partially oxidized. At 400 °C, the amorphous TiO2 layer crystallizes, further transformation of BaF2 into BaO takes place, and interdiffusion begins. At 700 °C, the formation of a polycrystalline structure with different Ba–Ti oxides occurs, epitaxial BaTiO3 grains nucleate on the film/substrate interface, and significant interdiffusion takes place. Finally, at 900 °C, the interdiffusion is completed, and the epitaxial BaTiO3 grains coalesce and grow. The presence of nonepitaxial polycrystalline regions in fully annealed films can be explained as the following: (i) stoichiometric transient regions not yet consumed by recrystallization of BaTiO3; (ii) nonstoichiometric regions resulting from inhomogeneous deposition of BaF2.

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Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2002

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References

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