Wet chemical etching of BaSrTiO3 ferroelectric thin films for intelligent antenna application

Due to its high tunable permittivity and low dielectric losses, (Ba1-xSrx)TiO3 (BST) thin films appear to be one of the most studied candidates among ferroelectric materials for the realization of intelligent microelectronics components. BST material’s high-k property and tunability may particularly serve for the conception of innovative antenna devices designed for miniaturization and functionalizing of embarked telecommunication systems. In the present work, wet chemical BST etching is investigated, allowing a cheap, easy and precise integration of the ferroelectric thin film. The etchant is prepared from buffered hydrofluoric acid (BHF) and nitric acid (HNO3) which respectively act as the reactive and the catalysis component.