Influence of the microstructure of Pt/Si substrates on textured growth of barium titanate thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

Pt-coated silicon substrates with strong (111) Pt texture were annealed in an oxidizing atmosphere at temperatures from 500 degrees C to 750 degrees C. BaTiO3 thin films were deposited by pulsed laser ablation on the substrates. Observation by transmission electron microscopy showed that the substrate anneal caused the formation of TiO2 in the Pt layer, accompanied by the formation of a high density of faceted protrusions on the Pt surface, particularly at the higher anneal temperatures. The Pt protrusions had (111) facets, parallel to the substrate surface, on which (100)-oriented BaTiO3 grains were observed. BaTiO3 grains with an epitaxial relationship to the Pt lattice were observed on inclined facets of the Pt protrusions [which were not (111) planes], and also on the nonplanar regions of the Pt surface. These epitaxial BaTiO3 grains had (111) preferred orientation relative to the substrate surface. Thus, the BaTiO3 films displayed bimodal growth behavior, with both (100) texture and (111) epitaxy. We propose a model for this behavior based on surface energy considerations.