Modified substrates with nanometer scale smooth surface were obtained via coating a layer of CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CaAlSi) high temperature glaze with proper additives on the rough-95% Al2O3 ceramics substrates. (Ba0.6Sr0.4)TiO3 (BST) thin films were deposited on modified Al2O3 substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The microstructure, dielectric, and insulating properties of BST thin films grown on glazed-Al2O3 substrates were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), and dielectric properties measurement. These results showed that microstructure and dielectric properties of BST thin films grown on glazed-Al2O3 substrates were almost consistent with that of BST thin films grown on LaAlO3 (1 0 0) single-crystal substrates. Thus, the expensive single-crystal substrates may be substituted by extremely cheap glazed-Al2O3 substrates. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.