Differences in nature of defects between SrBi2Ta2O9 and Bi4Ti3O12

X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements were executed to compare the nature of defects in SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) and Bi4Ti3O12 (BTO) films. In the SBT film, it was found that the oxygen ions at the metal-oxygen octahedra were much more stable than those at the Bi2O2 layers. On the other hand, for th e BTO film, oxygen vacancies could be induced both at the titanium-oxygen o ctahedra and at the Bi2O2 layers. We suggested that the difference in stabi lity of the metal-oxygen octahedra should be related to different fatigue b ehaviors of the SBT and the BTO films. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physi cs.