Study of thermal decomposition of (Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 and Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 xerogels and thin films

Understanding the thermal decomposition and perovskite phase crystallization enables the design of the desired microstructure of BaTiO3-based thin films prepared by chemical solution deposition. We prepared xerogels from (Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BCT) and Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 (BZT) coating solutions, as well as BCT and BZT thin films, to investigate their thermal decomposition. The oxycarbonates, formed during the heating of BCT and BZT xerogels, are fully decomposed at 780 °C and 720 °C, respectively. The thermal decomposition of carbonate residues in BCT and BZT thin films is completed at 750 °C and 700 °C, respectively. The approximately 120 nm thick BCT and BZT films annealed at 850 °C crystallize in the perovskite phase.