The (Bi3.25Ce0.75)Ti3O12 (BCT) thin films with Bi-excess composition were prepared onto Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates at various temperatures using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and annealed at various temperatures. The 20 mol% Bi-excess BCT films deposited at 400 degreesC showed a pure layered structure, the lowest root mean square (rms) roughness, and good ferroelectric properties after annealing at 700 degreesC in an oxygen ambient. The 70 nm thick-BCT films annealed at 800 degreesC for 10 min in O-2 showed well-saturated P-E curves at an applied electric field of 3 V and a 2P(r) of 23muC/cm(2) and a E-c of 180 kV/cm at 5 V The polarization values were not significantly changed after being subjected to 1.0 x 10(10) switching cycles. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.