Two chemical solutions have been prepared for the derivation of strontium bismuth tantalate [SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT)] thin films. One is a single alkoxide sot-gel precursor, chemically linked at a molecular level, prepared from 2-methoxyethanol solutions of strontium 2-methoxyethoxide [Sr(OCH2CH2OCH3)(2)], bismuth 2-methoxyethoxide [Bi(OCH2CH2OCH3)(3)], and tantalum 2-methoxyethoxide [Ta(OCH2CH2OCH3)(5)]. Them other is a simple mixture solution prepared from strontium bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate [Sr(TMHD)(2)], triphenyl bismuth [Bi(C6H5)(3)], and Ta(OCH2CH2OCH3)(5). The chemical structures of the precursors were analyzed by H-1 and C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and their thermal decomposition behaviors were investigated by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). We have discussed the role, of precursors in the formation of a crystallographic phase, grain structure, and ferroelectric properties for the derived SBT films. It has been found that the process temperature and the amount of excess Bi, needed to form the ferroelectric phase, are strongly dependent on the sol-gel solution. By heat-treatment at 700 degreesC for 1 h, utilizing our single alkoxide sol-gel solution, we have obtained SBT films demonstrating a saturated hysteresis loop at 3 V.