Thickness and temperature dependent electrical characteristics of crystalline BaxSr1−xTiO3 thin films

Polycrystalline ${\mathrm{Ba}}_{1-x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_x\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_3$ (BST) thin films with three different compositions have been deposited by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering technique on platinum coated silicon substrates. Samples with buffer and barrier layers for different film thicknesses and processing temperatures have been studied. Crystallite size of BST films has been found to increase with increasing substrate temperature. Thickness dependent dielectric constant has been studied and discussed in the light of an interfacial dead layer and the finite screening length of the electrode. Ferroelectric properties of the films have also been studied for various deposition conditions. The electrical resistivity of the films measured at different temperatures shows a positive temperature coefficient of resistance under a constant bias voltage.