(Ba1-xSrx)(Ti0.9Sn0.1)O-3 (BSxTS for short) thin films with various x values (Sr mol%) have been deposited on Pt/Ti/ SiO2/Si substrates by RF magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry, scanning transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction have been utilized to study the preparation and characterization of the BSxTS films. The deposition rate of the BSxTS thin films increases with the increasing RF power. When the BSxTS thin films are deposited at substrate temperature of 500degreesC, working pressure of 5 x 10(-3) Torr and O-2/(O-2 + Ar) ratio of 1/(1 + 9), then the BTS (x = 0, no Sr) thin film obtains a maximum deposition rate of 28.6 nm/min. On the other hand, the deposition rate of the BSxTS thin films decreases with increasing working pressure and O-2(O-2 + Ar) ratio. The electron diffraction of the BSxTS thin films deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate shows a ring pattern. The BSxTS (i.e. x greater than or equal to 0.1) thin films show very strong (1 1 1) reflection, and not masked with (1 1 1) reflection of platimum. The surface of the BSxTS thin films is very smooth and the adhesion between two layers seems to be very good, The grain size of the BSxTS thin films is < 200 nm. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.