Sintering BFO targets for sputtering

TL;DR

This study investigates rapid sintering of BiFeO3 ceramic targets with different compositions, identifying optimal heat treatment times to maximize phase purity for sputtering applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates that rapid sintering at 880°C can produce high-purity BiFeO3 targets within 3.5 minutes, with composition-dependent phase content improvements.

Findings

Maximum BiFeO3 phase achieved at 3.5 minutes

50% phase transformation in one composition

98.5% phase transformation in the other

Abstract

Ceramic $BiFeO_{3}$ samples were prepared by rapid sintering at $880^OC$. Two compositions were examined. A $56/44\ Bi_{2}O_{3}/Fe_{2}O_{3}\ mole\%$ composition and a $56Bi_{2}O_{3}\cdot44Fe_{2}O_{3}+6.5wt\%\,NaCl$ composition. The samples were heat treated at different times up to $8$ minutes and the phase content was examined as a function of the time using XRD measurements and analysis. It was demonstrated that using both compositions, maximum $BiFeO_{3}$ phase content is obtained after $3.5$ minutes. In the former approximately $50\%$ of the material transformed to $BiFeO_{3}$ while in the latter $98.5\%$.