Microstructure defects mediated charge transport in Nb-doped epitaxial BaTiO₃ thin films

Abstract

Nb-doped BaTiO₃ (BNTO) films were deposited on MgO substrates at different substrate temperatures by pulsed laser deposition. The temperature dependence of their resistivity, carrier mobility and carrier concentration were systematically investigated. It reveals that the BNTO films deposited at lower temperature show higher resistivity and lower carrier mobility, and only show semiconductor characteristics at measurement temperatures ranging from 10 to 400 K. There is a metal-semiconductor transition at about 20 K for the films grown at relatively higher temperature. The intrinsic mechanism responsible for the different charge transport behavior was revealed by microstructure studies. Low crystal quality and high density of microstructure defects, observed for BNTO films grown at low temperatures, are, in particular, massively affecting the charge transport behavior of the BNTO films. The mediated charge transport of the microstructure defects is dominated by the thermal excitation process.