Film thickness dependence of electro-optic effect in epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films

Based on the phenomenological Landau–Devonshire theory, we investigate the film thickness dependence of ferroelectric and electro-optic properties of epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films grown on SrTiO3 and MgO substrates. By using the effective substrate lattice parameter concept, the film thickness dependence of misfit strain is incorporated into the theory. Therefore, the film thickness dependence of ferroelectric and electro-optic properties in epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films can be explained. Moreover, a large quadratic electro-optic effect was obtained in the BaTiO3 thin films, which is in good agreement with the experimental result of BaTiO3 thin films on the MgO substrate.

► Film thickness dependence of misfit strain is incorporated into the theory.
► Films on SrTiO3 and MgO substrates have the large quadratic electro-optic effect.
► Theoretical calculations are in great agreement with the experimental results.