An enhanced strain response in micrometer-thick BNT-ST thin films

Lead-free BNT-ST thin films with various thicknesses were deposited on the Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) substrates employing a sol-gel technique with a two-step annealing process. Despite the variations in thickness, the films exhibited a consistent polycrystalline structure, evidenced by identical diffraction peaks, albeit with differences in intensity. An imprint became evident in micro-thick films, increasing with film thickness. Also, the emergence of self-polarization was observed in thicker films detected by piezoresponse force microscopy. Noteworthy is the pronounced influence of film thickness on strain response, with the 1.38 μm-thick films demonstrating a large strain of 1.18%. The outstanding strain response can be attributed to the notable contribution of electric field-induced phase transition and polarization dynamics. This work provides a promising potential application of micrometer-thick BNT-ST thin films in advanced actuator devices.