Supplemental Material for Realizing strain enhanced dielectric properties in BaTiO3 films by
liquid phase assisted growth
Additional experimental details
Target preparation: High purity BaTiO3 (Sakai; BT-01) and barium borate flux were
milled with zirconia media in isopropyl alcohol then dried to form 0, 1, 3 and 5% flux powders.
One-inch targets were pressed in a laboratory press at 500 kg cm-2 and sintered in air at 1100 °C
for 1 hour with ramp rates of 5 °C min-1. X-ray diffraction of the targets revealed tetragonal peak
splitting with secondary phases of BaB2O4 and BaTi(BO3)2 and emerging in the 3% and 5%
targets.
Film growth conditions: Thin films were grown using pulsed laser deposition (Coherent
Compex Pro 102F; KrF laser λ=248nm) at a substrate temperature of 400 °C in an oxygen
pressure of 30 mTorr. The target to substrate distance was set at 7.5 cm, the laser fluence at the
target was 1.5 J cm-2, and the laser frequency was 7 Hz. Films were deposited approximately 450
nm thick on c-sapphire substrates and post annealed in air at 900 °C for 1 hour.
Film Characterization: XRD was performed using a PANalytical Empyrean with BraggBrentano geometry on all targets and films. Strain analysis was done with a point source and
parallel plate collimator detector. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was performed on an Asylum
MFP-3D. TEM samples were ion milled using a FEI Quanta 3D FEG. Images shown were taken
on a Jeol 2000FX. Diffraction patterns and high-resolution imaging were performed with a Jeol
2010F. SEM cross-sections were taken on a ZEISS SEM at Oakridge National Laboratory. SIMS
measurements were taken on a Cameca IMS 6f at the Analytical Instrumentation Facility at
NCSU. Platinum interdigitated top contacts with a gap of 3 µm were defined using
photolithography and deposited 150 nm thick using DC magnetron sputtering. Capacitance
Supplemental Material for Realizing strain enhanced dielectric properties in BaTiO3 films by
liquid phase assisted growth
measurements were performed using an HP4192A impedance meter with a 1 MHz, 0.05 V
amplitude signal. Polarization measurements were taken using an aixACT TF Analyzer 2000.
Temperature dependent data was obtained using a MMR miniature refrigerator stage.