Dielectric characterization of sol-gel derived sn doped ZrTiO4 thin films

Abstract

High-quality thin film dielectric materials are critical for the next generation of integrated microwave devices. Much recent attention has been focused on ZrTiO4 and Sn doped ZrTiO4 films for applications in these devices. Sol-gel derived Sn doped ZrTiO4 thin films were prepared on Si and platinized Si wafers and fired to temperatures ranging from 550°C to 700°C. Multiple spincoating was performed to obtain films up to 0.5μm thick, with intermediate firings at 400°C between coatings. The ZrTiO4 films exhibited a dielectric constant of about 32 with low leakage currents of 2×10−9 A. These films were crystalline when fired to 700°C or above. The addition of Sn lowered the dielectric constant but also improved the dissipation factor.