Bi3.15Nd0.85Ti3O12 (BNT) thin films with different oxygen vacancy concentrations were prepared by annealing in air and nitrogen atmospheres. The effects of oxygen vacancy concentration on microstructures and domain switching of BNT thin films were investigated. It was found that the film annealed in air atmosphere possesses higher crystallinity, larger grain size, better electrical properties and more complete domain switching than those of the film annealed in nitrogen atmosphere. The results demonstrate that oxygen vacancies play a significant role in domain switching and in the electrical properties of BNT films, and low oxygen vacancy concentration was propitious to domain switching.

Effect of Oxygen Vacancy Concentration on Domain Switching of Bi3.15Nd0.85Ti3O12. H.Huang, X.L.Zhong, S.H.Xie, Y.Zhang, J.B.Wang, Y.C.Zhou: EPL, 2011, 94[3], 37002