Fabrication and characterization of iron and fluorine co-doped BST thin films for microwave applications

The effects of fluorine co-doping by means of a post-thermal annealing process of iron-doped BST thin films in a fluorine-containing atmosphere have been investigated. XPS and ToF-SIMS sputter depth profiling verified a homogeneous fluorine distribution in the thin films. By employing EPR, it was shown that singly charged (Fe-Ti'-V-<(O)double over dot>)(-) defect complexes, as well as 'isolated' Fe-Ti' centres with a distribution of F-(O) triple over dot sites in remote coordination spheres exist in the fluorinated films. Tunability enhancement due to fluorine co-doping as well as a Q-factor enhancement due to iron doping is demonstrated.