Abstract
The seeding effect on the crystallization behaviors of the SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 strontium bismuth tantalite (SBT) phase on top of a thin Aurivillius buffer layer, SrBi 2 Ta 2x O 9 , was studied. A uniform microstructure and a preferred polar a -axis orientation within the SrBi 2 Ta1.8 O 9 buffered SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 thin film were promoted to achieve a high remanent polarization (2 P r ) value of about 19.7 μC/ cm 2 . Furthermore, the SBT/buffer heterostructure constructed by the two-step process showed a significantly improved leakage property compared with the nonbuffered SBT. The off-stoichiometric thin buffer layer demonstrates a simple method to improve the microstructure, polar a -axis orientation, and electric characteristics and to introduce less defects in the superposed SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 thin films. © 2009 The Electrochemical Society.