BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films deposited on various thicknesses (0, 40, 80, and 160 nm) of Bi3.5Nd0.5Ti3O12 (BNT) buffer layers were fabricated on indium tin oxide (ITO)/Si substrates using a metal organic decomposition process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements reveal that the BNT buffer layers can favor the growth of (110)-oriented grains in the BFO films. Well-saturated P-E hysteresis loops can be obtained in BFO films with BNT buffer layers due to their lower leakage current densities compared with that in BFO film deposited directly on ITO/Si substrate. A remanent polarization (P (r)) as large as 70.2 +/- A 2 mu C/cm(2) can be achieved in BFO film with 40-nm-thick BNT buffer layer. Further increase of the buffer layer thickness results in the degradation of the rectangularity of P-E hysteresis loops, reduction of the P (r) value, as well as deterioration of the charge-retaining ability for the double-layered films.