Microstructure and texture evolution in oxide films prepared by ion-beam assisted laser deposition

• Published in: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 1479 - 1482
• Main Authors: Holzapfel, B., Betz, V., Schlafer, D., Bauer, H.-D., Schultz, L.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.1999; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Amorphous materials; Applied sciences; Atomic beams; Atomic force microscopy; Atomic layer deposition; Crystallization; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Laser stability; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Microstructure; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Substrates; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray lasers; Amorphous material; Atomic force microscopy; Superconducting materials; Texture analysis; Microelectronic fabrication; Experimental result; Transmission electron microscopy; Crystal orientation; Laser deposition; Ion beam; Radiation pattern; X ray diffraction
• ISSN: 1051-8223; 1558-2515
• DOI: 10.1109/77.784672

Using Ion-Beam Assisted Laser Deposition (IBALD), biaxially oriented films of Yttria stabilized Zirconia were deposited on polycrystalline and amorphous substrates. The film texture in dependence of deposition parameters was examined with X-ray texture analysis. As deposited films were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. All films showed a columnar film growth structure. The diameter of the columns increased with film thickness and could be related to the film in-plane orientation. The nucleation process was found to be polycrystalline and independent of the ion-beam assistance. At an early growth stage, a growth structure of [001] oriented columns emerges from the randomly oriented crystallites. The film in-plane texture forms in a competition of [001] oriented columns, where columns oriented with their [111] axis parallel to the impinging ion-beam dominate the film texture. The out-of plane growth orientation was found to depend on substrate temperature and laser energy density, while the ion-beam affects mainly the in-plane orientation.