Characterization of strontium barium niobate films prepared by sol-gel process using 2-methoxyethanol

Strontium barium niobate (SBN) films with the composition of Sr0.6Ba0.4Nb2O6 (SBN60) were prepared by the sol-gel technique and were spin-coated on fused silica, (100)Si, (111)Si, and (100)MgO substrates. The sol was formed by using 2-methoxyethanol as both the solvent and sol stabilizer. This has eliminated some major difficulties in the fabrication of the SBN films using ethanol as solvent. Films annealed at the temperature range from 500-800 degrees C were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. A high degree of crystallinity in tetragonal phase was obtained at an annealing temperature as low as 700 degrees C. Preferred (001) SBN60 orientation was observed for films coated on (100)MgO substrates. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.