Annealing temperature effects on the electrical properties of (K, Na) NbO₃ thin film fabricated by a sol-gel process with a citrate precursor solution

ABSTRACT

Utilizing the comparatively low cost niobium pentoxide (Nb₂O₅) as raw material, (K,Na)NbO₃(KNN) thin films were deposited onto Ti substrate by a sol–gel non-alkoxide process. The effects of annealing temperature on the phase, morphology, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties of KNN thin films were investigated. KNN thin films without impurities were obtained above 700°C, and the microstructure of all films were dense and uniform. A maximum dielectric constant of 480 was obtained in the film annealed at 700°C, which is comparable to the film prepared from niobium ethoxide.

KEYWORDS:

• KNN film
• Nb₂O₅
• sol-gel process
• annealing temperature
• electrical property

Funding

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC Nos. 51172108, 51202118), the Doctoral Fund of the Ministry of Education of China (Grant. No. 2012002120012). A Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), the NUAA Fundamental Research Funds (NO. NN2012018 and No. NP2013301).