Growth of BaTiO3 thin films by metallo-organic deposition and rapid thermal annealing under controlled atmosphere

In the metallo-organic deposition process, BaTiO₃ films were produced by spin casting carefully mixed near-stoichiometric metallo-organic precursors using a photoresist spinner. The substrates used were platinum and low-resistivity (0.002-0.05-Ω-cm) (111)-oriented silicon wafers. Various film thicknesses (0.1-5 μm) were produced by changing spin speeds and by multiple spin casting. Annealing was done by rapid thermal annealing. The films were processed at 950°C for 1 min under atmospheres of O₂, Ar, or a partial vacuum of 10^-3 torr. The films grown on silicon substrates and processed in partial vacuum showed no formation of BaTiO ₃. An impurity phase seemed to appear in all the films grown on silicon. The films grown on platinum showed better purity and crystallinity, and for those processed in Ar or in partial vacuum a certain degree of texture was observed. The films on both platinum and silicon were uniform and showed no cracks when examined by scanning electron microscopy