ALKOXIDE-DERIVED SRBI2TA2O9 PHASE PURE POWDER AND THIN-FILMS

Phase pure powder and thin films of the novel ferroelectric materials SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) have been prepared using the organic precursors. The xero-gel formed was dried and characterized using TGA and DTA to deter mine the organic burn out and crystallization temperature of SBT. Powd er X-ray diffraction was used systematically to check the crystallinit y of SBT. Phase pure SBT powder was formed as low as 650 degrees C and thin films at 600 degrees C in comparison to other earlier reported w ork. SEM micrographs show a grain size of similar to 0.1 mu m and show crack free films with a film thickness of 2 mu m.