INVESTIGATION OF HYDROGEN-INDUCED CHANGES IN SRBI2TA2O9 FERROELECTRIC-FILMS

The effect of hydrogen on strontium bismuth tantalate (SrBi2Ta2O9; SBT ) ferroelectric capacitors is investigated. Using several analytical t echniques such as x-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, Auger elect ron, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, the structural a nd compositional changes in the ferroelectric film are studied as a fu nction of annealing gas and temperature. The mechanism for hydrogen in duced damage to the capacitor is identified. Measurements show that th e hydrogen induces both structural and compositional changes in the fe rroelectric film. Hydrogen reacts with the bismuth oxide to form bismu th and the reduced bismuth diffuses out of the SBT film causing the el ectrodes to peel. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979( 97)04121-2].