Selective growth and optical properties of sputtered BaTiO3 films

We report the growth of BaTiO3 thin films by standard Radio Frequency sputt ering. Without any in situ or post annealing, these polycristalline films a re oriented relative to the substrate even when it is amorphous. We show th at this preferential orientation may be monitored using a DC Bias during th e film growth. At room temperature, cubic films of (100) and (110) orientat ions have been achieved, on fused silica substrate. Some optical waveguidin g properties of these films have been studied. The resulting film index is 2.26 and the optical step index at the substrate interface is sharp. This a llows the use of standard RF sputtering techniques to monitor oriented BaTi O3 films for linear optical applications.