STRUCTURAL AND OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF SR1-XBAXTIO3 THIN-FILMS PREPAREDBY RF-SPUTTERING

Sr1-xBaxTiO3 thin films (0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1) were deposited at T = 723 K by the rf sputtering method from tar gets comprised of ceramic, SrTiO3-BaTiO3 mosaic. The influence of bari um content and the post-deposition annealing at T = 1173 K on the stru ctural and optical properties were studied. It has been found that the crystallinity of the as-sputtered (at T = 723 K) thin films decrease with the increase of Ba content (x). The perovskite structure with pre ferred orientation (changing from(1 1 0) for x = 0 to (h 0 0) for x = 1) was detected for the post-deposition annealed (at T = 1173 K) Sr1-x BaxTiO3 thin films. The annealing of Sr1-xBaxTiO3 thin films affects t he optical transmission spectra and absorption edge position. The obse rved changes are the strongest in case of BaTiO3 films and those of re lated compositions. The refractive index derived for the well-develope d perovskite structure was found to be independent on the chemical com position (x) and was n = 2.1, for h = 1.55 mu m. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sci ence S.A. All rights reserved.