Etching Behavior and Damage Recovery of SrBi₂Ta₂O₉ Thin Films

The etching and ferroelectric properties of SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 (SBT) thin films prepared by metal organic decomposition (MOD) were investigated. It was observed that the etching rates of SBT thin films varied with the etch parameters. The etching rate of SBT in gases with Ar added is higher, which indicates that the physical bombardment could be more efficient in SBT etching. We also investigated the influence of etching damage in SBT films during the reactive ion etching (RIE) process on the electrical properties of ferroelectric materials.