Hydrothermal deposition and characterization of heteroepitaxial BaTiO3 films on SrTiO3 and LaAlO3 single crystals

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 37; no. 16; pp. 3361 - 3367
• Main Authors: CIFTCI, E, RAHAMAN, M. N, BLUM, F. D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 15.08.2002; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aqueous solutions; Atomic force microscopy; Barium hydroxide; Barium titanates; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Crystals; Exact sciences and technology; Film thickness; Hydrothermal treatment; Islands; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Microscopy; Nucleation; Physics; Scanning electron microscopy; Single crystals; Strontium titanates; Structure and morphology; thickness; Substrates; Surface roughness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Thin films; Titanium dioxide; X-ray diffraction; Atomic force microscopy; Scanning electron microscopy; Inorganic compounds; Epitaxial layers; Titanates; Barium titanates; XRD; Experimental study; High-resolution methods; Faceting; Characterization; Thin films; Hydrothermal synthesis; Aqueous solutions; Growth mechanism; Crystal growth from solutions; Crystal nucleation; Heteroepitaxy; Island structure
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1016593007572

Heteroepitaxial BaTiO3 thin films were deposited in an aqueous solution under hydrothermal conditions on single crystal substrates of (100) SrTiO3 and (012) LaAlO3. The reactants consisted of fine TiO2 particles in a strongly alkaline solution of Ba(OH)2 at a temperature of 150°C. The growth of the films was studied by atomic force microscopy, high resolution scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The formation of the films occurred by nucleation of {001} faceted islands followed by three-dimensional growth of the islands to cover the substrate. Repeated hydrothermal treatment improved the film thickness and the surface coverage of the substrate at the expense of increased surface roughness. X-ray diffraction coupled with pole figure analysis showed that the films had the same in-plane and out-of-plane orientation as the substrate.