The SEM cross-section images as shown in Figure 3c,d are prepared by cleaving the silicon sample. The cleaving causes rough edges, and the brittle nature of the thin film results in numerous regions without material. However, the presence of the thin buffer layer is evident, and the thickness matches with the data from ellipsometry measurements. The grain sizes of the films deposited at 700°C with a buffer layer of thickness of 7.2 nm are found to be between 30 and 50 nm, which PLX3397 is comparable to the other reported

values [21]. AFM measurements are carried out to estimate the roughness properties of the BTO films. The AFM images of the 150-nm-thick BTO films deposited at 700°C for different thicknesses of the buffer layers are shown in Figure 4a,b. The film deposited with the 4.4-nm buffer layer shows a roughness less than 10 nm, whereas the films deposited with buffer layers greater than 6 nm, show a larger roughness (10 to 15 nm) because of larger grain sizes. Figure 4 AFM images of BTO thin films deposited at 700°C for different thicknesses of intermediate buffer layers. (a) 6 nm and (b) 7.2 nm. Dielectric and ferroelectric properties The dielectric and ferroelectric properties of BTO thin

films (thickness 150 nm, this website annealing temperature 700°C) grown on lanthanum oxynitrate buffer layers (thickness 7.2 nm or 8.9 nm, heat treatment 450°C) are estimated with C-V and P-E measurements. The C-V measurement shows the small signal capacitance as a function of a bias DC voltage (see Figure 5a). The butterfly shape indicates the ferroelectric hysteresis nature of the BTO tetragonal films. Two maxima for the dielectric constants are observed depending on an increase or decrease in the bias electric field. Figure 5 AC dielectric constant and P – E hysteresis loop. (a) AC dielectric constant as a function of the DC bias voltage for a BTO thin film (150 nm)

annealed at 700°C with a 7.2-nm-thick buffer layer. (b) P-E hysteresis loop measured at 1 KHz with an AC voltage swing of 10 V-PP for the BTO films annealed at 700°C with buffer layers of different thickness. The samples O-methylated flavonoid deposited with buffer layers below 6 nm often show electrical short circuit between the top and bottom contacts due to the intercrystal void formation. However, the highly oriented BTO films (150 nm) deposited on a BTO seed layer with buffer layers thicker than 7 nm, followed by layer-by-layer coating and annealing procedure (30 nm each time), show well-defined hysteresis loops. The BTO thin films (150 nm) appear to be stable, without breakdown up to electric fields of 400 kV/cm. The polarization of the films does not reach saturation due to the electrical breakdown at higher voltages. The films deposited with a 7-nm buffer layer show a dielectric constant of 270, remnant polarization of (2P r) 3 μC/cm2, and coercive field (E c) of 60 kV/cm, whereas the BTO film deposited on an 8.9-nm buffer layer shows a 2P r of 5 μC/cm2 and E c of 100 kV/cm.