Characterization of BaTiO3 thin films on p-Si

Polycrystalline BaTiO3 thin films grown on p-Si (1 0 0) substrates by RF sputtering and subjected to a post-thermal annealing at 700 degreesC, were characterized for potential applications as cladding insulators in AC thin-him electroluminescent devices. Building such a device requires the study of an insulator/semiconductor and an insulator/phosphor interface. The study of the BaTiO3 surface in the present work provides information on the creation of defects due to the deposition process. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to investigate the surface and bulk created defects. They showed the existence of Ba and Ti oxides formed on the surface probably due to the post thermal annealing, These oxides may be responsible for the creation of interface states between the BaTiO3 film and the subsequent deposited ZnS films in order to build an AC thin-film electroluminescent device. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.