Water incorporation in BaTiO3 films grown under hydrothermal conditions

The influence of temperature on water incorporation into barium titanate films grown hydrothermally was investigated. The films were prepared using titanium foils that were immersed in 0.5 M barium hydroxide aqueous solutions for 4 h. Working temperatures were 100, 150 and 215 degrees C. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, forward recoil spectrometry and thermal desorption spectrometry. The latter showed that water was incorporated mainly in the molecular form and that this was favored at lower temperatures, leading to a slightly larger unit cell as has been observed in hydrothermal powders. Films grown at lower temperatures exhibited stronger XRD reflections. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.