Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
Sol-gel derived barium sodium niobate and bismuth titanate films were successfully prepared from precursor solutions of chelated Ba[Nb(OEt)6]2 and NaNb(OEt)6 and from bismuth 2-ethyl hexanoate and Ti(OEt)4 respectively. Single phase Ba2NaNb5O15 was formed at 750C on platinized Si and at 850C on fused SiO2. Monoclinic (pseudo-orthorhombic) Bi4Ti3O12 was formed at temperatures as low as 500C. Both film compositions showed significant second harmonic generation. The dielectric constant of the bismuth titanate film was comparable to that of sputtered films.