Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
Microstructural changes in sol-gel derived SrxBa1-xNb2O6 (SBN) thinfilms were monitored as a function of chemical variations in the precursorsol and of processing variations of the thin films. 6000À Sr0.5Ba0.5Nb2O6 thin filmswere deposited from different alkoxide based precursors under varioushydrolysis conditions. The tetragonal tungsten bronze structure was achievedin films at temperatures on the order of 700°C. Preferential (001)orientation of the tetragonal lattice was found to be very dependent uponthe substrate orientation as well as thermal treatment schedule.Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine the filmmicrostructure. Orientational effects were verified by TEM as well as atendency for a porous structure in the alkoxide derived films. Substrate andprocessing dependent grain size and size distributions were also noted.