Compensation doping of Ba_0.7Sr_0.3TiO₃ thin films

We have investigated the effects of Mn impurities on Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 thin films using x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Mn acts as an electron acceptor, compensating for the charge density found in nominally undoped films. This causes a greatly increased depletion width in acceptor-doped films. We also present evidence that acceptor-doped films have an increased barrier to thermionic emission of electrons from Pt contacts into the dielectric. This may explain the decrease in leakage current observed in some acceptor-doped titanates. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.