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

Bismuth titanate (Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂), a member of the layered perovskite family, has a unique set of ferroelectric properties, which include a high remanent polarization, 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 examine 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°C to 700°C in 100% O₂. It was found that c-axis oriented BiT films could be formed at temperatures as low as 550°C by using bismuth oxide template layers, while films without bismuth oxide templating possessed a random orientation over the same temperature range.