Effect of Substrate Bias on the Crystal Structure and Morphology of Barium Strontium Niobate Films Grown by RF Cathode Sputtering

Abstract

Barium strontium niobate films have been grown on MgO(001) substrates by single-step rf cathode sputtering of a ceramic target with the stoichiometric composition Sr0.5Ba0.5Nb2O6 in an oxygen atmosphere under various conditions (at different substrate biases). It has been shown that, depending on its polarity, the substrate bias either increases or reduces the flux of structure-forming elements to the substrate and, as a consequence, changes the growth rate, without impairing the surface morphology or surface perfection of the film or producing impurity phases. The mechanisms underlying the observed general relationships are discussed.