Preparation of c-axis-oriented Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ thick films by templated grain growth

Highly c-axis-oriented Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ thick films were successfully fabricated by templated grain growth. The effects of template particles and sintering conditions on grain orientation in thick films were investigated. SEM micrographs and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns exhibited that thick films were c-axis-oriented. The degree of grain orientation (Lotgering factor, f) increases with increasing sintering temperature and soaking time. Highly c-axis-oriented thick film (orientation degree of ∼ 0.98) is obtained with the use of only 5 wt.% template particles by sintering at 1000 °C for 2 h. This film exhibits a better temperature-independent dielectric constant and a lower dielectric loss.