Low-temperature crystallization and ferroelectric properties of sol-gel derived layer-structured perovskite thin films

Abstract
The sol-gel derived SBT thin films crystallized, by rapid thermal annealing in an oxygen atmosphere below 550°C, and exhibited preferred (115) orientation. The crystalline perfection improved and the crystallite size increased with temperature up to 700°C. In the case of SBN thin films, a low heating rate of 2°C/min, was necessary for the control of the crystallographic (115) orientation, whereas a rate of 200°C /s (rapid thermal annealing) exhibited a c-axis orientation. The (115) SBT thin film, heated to 700°C, exhibited improved ferroelectric properties.