Epitaxial growth of (001)-oriented and (116)-oriented SrBi2Ta2O9 thin films by chemical solution deposition method

Epitaxial (001)-oriented and (116)-oriented SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) thin films hav e been prepared by the chemical solution deposition method on (001)- and (0 11)-SrTiO3 (STO) substrates, respectively. Crystal orientation and microstr ucture were characterized using four-circle X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Only (00l) peaks in the XRD theta - 2 theta scan and four sharp peaks for SBT (1 1 5) in the XRD pole-figure sc an were observed in the SBT/(00 1) STO specimen annealed at 850 degreesC/h. In the SBT:(0 1 1) STO specimen annealed at 850 degreesC/h, two (008) peak s for SET determined with the XRD pole-figure scan were consistent with the epitaxial orientation relationship of [1 1 0](1 1 6)(SBT)//[1 0 0](0 1 1) STO found by TEM selected area diffraction. The difference in the epitaxy n ature was explained by using a coincident site lattice model. These results show the possibility to control the orientation, normal to a substrate sur face, of a SET thin film by choosing a proper substrate. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.