The properties of barium titanate RF sputtered in argon

The structural, optical and dielectric properties of barium titanate thin films deposited on water-cooled substrates by RF sputtering in Ar (99.99%) were investigated. Optically thin and thick films for the visible spectral region were studied. From the investigations it is concluded that there are at least two crystalline phases in addition to amorphous barium titanate in the deposited coatings, and the degree of crystallization depends on the film thickness. An electron diffraction study indicated that the film structure resembled that of a known barium titanate with a small oxygen deficiency and this was attributed to oxygen loss when sputtering in pure Ar. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.