Effect of precursor pyrolysis on the dielectric properties of hydrothermally derived barium titanate thin films

BaTiO3, thin films were processed hydrothermally on Ag-coated quartz substr ates at 90 degrees C by reacting films of titanium dimethoxy dineodecanoate (TDD) in aqueous solutions of Ba(OH),, Two reaction sequences were used: e ither the TDD was reacted directly in aqueous Ba(OW),, or the TDD was first pyrolyzed in air at temperatures ranging from 200 degrees to 500 degrees C before hydrothermal reaction. Depending on the processing conditions, the dielectric constant of the thin films ranged from 5 to 170, the dielectric constant increasing with increasing pyrolysis temperature. Thin film porosi metry data suggest that the improvement in film dielectric performance is r elated to decreases in thin film residual porosity after hydrothermial reac tion.