Growth of epitaxial strontium barium niobate thin films by solid source metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Strontium barium niobate (SrxBa1-xNb2O6) thin films have been epitaxially grown on (0 0 1)MgO, (1 1 0)MgO and (0 0 1)Sr0.75Ba0.25Nb2O6 substrates by solid source metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Films became amorphous when the substrate temperature was below 535 degrees C. The crystallinity of the him improved approximately with decreasing growth rate. Film compositions could be controlled by varying source compositions. Single crystalline films were deposited on (0 0 1)Sr0.75Ba0.25Nb2O6 single crystal substrates while films grown on (0 0 1)MgO and (1 1 0)MgO substrates revealed four in-plane orientations. Waveguiding behavior was demonstrated for both TE and TM modes with the films grown on (0 0 1)MgO substrates. The measured refractive indices were in agreement with those of bulk crystal.