The effect of post deposition anneal temperature on the structure of BiFeO3–PbTiO3 thin films

Pulsed laser deposition was used to produce 0.7BiFeO3–0.3PbTiO3 bismuth ferrite–lead titanate thin films on polycrystalline platinised silicon substrates. The films were post deposition annealed at different temperatures ranging from 500 to 700 °C in an oxygen atmosphere for 30 min. The films annealed at 500–550 °C possess a single perovskite phase tetragonal structure, with (001) preferred orientation appearing in films annealed at 550 °C. Films annealed at 600 °C possess a mixed tetragonal–rhombohedral perovskite phase structure with {100} preferential orientation. At anneal temperatures between 650 and 700 °C, non-perovskite secondary phases are present with the film structure. The ability to tailor film crystallographic structure and texture using varying anneal temperatures is discussed.

► Films deposited by pulsed laser deposition and analysed using X-ray diffraction. ► BiFeO3–PbTiO3 films were annealed between 500 and 700 °C in an oxygen atmosphere. ► Anneal affects the crystallographic structure, texture and phase formation. ► Varying anneal temperature allows tailoring the crystallographic phase and texture.