Structural and dielectric characterization of the (Ba1-xSrx)(Ti0.9Sn0.1)O3 thin films deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering

(Ba1-xSrx)(Ti0.9Sn0.1)O-3 (BSxTS) thin films prepared by rf magnetron sputtering have been characterized as a function of temperature, applied voltage, and electric field. The BSxTS thin films have been confirmed with x-ray diffraction and electron diffraction analysis. The BSxTS thin films show a strong (111) preferred orientation for Sr content 0.1less than or equal toxless than or equal to0.3. Grain size increases with increasing deposition temperature and is correlated to high dielectric constants. Leakage current density at 1 kV/cm varies from below 10(-7) to mid 10(-9) A/cm(2) for the O-2/(O-2+Ar) ratio varying from 5/(5+5) to 1/(1+9). A large and clear hysteresis shows ferroelectricity at 25 degreesC for all BSxTS thin films. The remnant polarization increases with increasing Sr content, which is preseemably caused by the lattice mismatch between BSxTS thin films and Pt layers. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.