Sol-gel derived bismuth titanate thin films with c-axis orientation

Bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12), a member of the layered perovskite family, ha s a unique set of ferroelectric properties, which include a high remanent p olarization, low coercive field, and high Curie temperature, that make it a possible candidate for data storage applications. For this investigation, bismuth titanate, or BiT, films were fabricated via sol-gel method to exami ne the effect of processing on phase development and orientation. Solutions were deposited onto platinized silicon, and then heat treated for one hour at temperatures ranging from 550 degreesC to 700 degreesC in 100% O-2. It was found that c-axis orientated BiT films could be formed at temperatures as low as 550 degreesC by using bismuth oxide template layers, while films without bismuth oxide templating possessed a random orientation over the sa me temperature range.