Growth of highly orientated strontium barium niobate thin films on Si substrates through the sol–gel process using a K: SBN template layer

We report the growth of highly C-axis orientation of SrxBa1–xNb2O6 (SBN) thin films on p-type (100) Si substrates by using a potassium-substituted SBN template layer with the sol–gel method. The crystallization of SBN thin films was found closely related to the potassium ion doping concentration and the postannealing temperature of the K-SBN template layer. Secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis showed that potassium elements were accumulated at the interface of the template layer and silicon substrate. SBN films postannealed at 750 C with K-SBN template layer has a smaller full width at half maximum of X-ray rocking curve of 2.45 than that of 5.40 for the pure SBN films. By introducing a template layer, the surface morphologies of SBN films fabricated on silicon substrate were greatly improved.