Characterization of La-doped (Ba0.85 Sn0.15) TiO 3 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

In the present study, 1 mol.% La-doped Ba(Ti0.85Sn 0.15)O3 (BLaTS) thin films have been deposited on LaNiO3 (LNO)/SiO2 /Si substrates by PLD. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that the films grow with a highly (h00) textured orientation. Higher crystallization quality was obtained at higher deposition temperatures. FE-SEM cross-sectional images and the SIMS test both confirm the sharp interface between as-deposited BLaTS thin films and the bottom LNO layers. The XPS measurement results indicated that La showed a pure +3 valence. The lower loss tangent in the low frequency range is attributed to the reduction in oxygen vacancies caused by La doping. The pyroelectric results showed that BLaTS thin films are suitable candidates for thermal applications. © 2010 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.