Growth temperature dependent dielectric properties of BiFeO3 thin films deposited on silica glass substrates

We have studied the dependence of dielectric properties on the deposition temperature of BiFeO3 thin films grown by the pulsed laser deposition technique. Thin films have been grown onto amorphous silica glass substrates with pre-patterned Au in-plane capacitor structures. It is shown that on the amorphous glass substrate, BiFeO3 films with a near-bulk permittivity of 26 and coercive field of 80 kV/cm may be grown at a deposition temperature of about 600 °C and 1 Pa oxygen pressure. Low permittivity and higher coercive field of the films grown at the temperatures below and above 600 °C are associated with an increased amount of secondary phases. It is also shown that the deposition of BiFeO3 at low temperature (i.e. 500 °C) and post deposition ex-situ annealing at elevated temperature (700 °C) increases the permittivity of a film. The applied bias and time dependence of capacitance of the films deposited at 700 °C and ex-situ annealed films are explained by the de-pinning of the ferroelectric domain-walls.

► BiFeO3 thin films are grown on amorphous SiO2 substrates by pulsed laser deposition.
► Growth temperature changes the permittivity by effecting films' phase composition.
► Films with a near bulk permittivity are grown at 600 °C deposition temperature.
► Secondary phases dominate at lower and higher (than 600 °C) deposition temperatures.
► Films with dominated secondary phases show low permittivity and high coercive field.