Impact of substrate on some physical properties of PrFe0.5Ni0.5O3 thin films

We carried out the structural, morphological and transport study of PrFe_0.5Ni_0.5O₃ thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) over various substrates. Different substrates like LaAlO₃ (001),GaAs(001) and Si(001) were used for deposition to understand effect of lattice mismatch on various physical properties. The film deposited on LaAlO₃ was of best quality with well (001)-oriented and having good crystalline properties. Whereas, film deposited on GaAs(001) is well textured. Both films shows semiconducting behavior and resistance of the film deposited on GaAs(001) shows larger than that of film deposited on LAO. However, film deposited on Si, also shows polycrystalline growth with unusual metallic behavior. We tried to correlate this behavior with strain-induced growth of these films. Other possibilities for this unusual trend is also explored.     

LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 thin films deposited by chemical and/or physical processes

Lithium niobate LiNbO₃ thin films were deposited onto silicon (111) Si and sapphire (001) AI₂O₃ single crystal substrates by the pyrosol and/or r.f. sputtering processes. A matrix of experiments was designed to determine the effects of several experimental parameters on the resulting film quality (stoichiometry, crystallization state) and properties. Under optimized conditions, requiring the combination of the two above-mentioned deposition techniques, <001 > oriented polycrystalline LiNbO₃ films were grown which exhibit homogeneous and columnar grain structures with the <c > -polar axis normal to the substrate surface.     

稀碱溶液中水热法制备柔性TiO2纳米须薄膜的生长机制及表征

以柔性不锈钢基底上经磁控溅射沉积的钛膜为钛源, 在1 mol·L^-1的低浓度NaOH溶液中水热法制备了朝基底上方取向生长的大长径比柔性TiO₂纳米须薄膜, 考察了钛膜沉积条件对纳米须薄膜的影响, 系统研究了水热反应条件对薄膜生长过程的影响及TiO₂纳米须薄膜的形成机制. 通过场发射扫描电镜(FESEM)、X射线能谱仪(EDS)、高分辨透射电子显微镜(HRTEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)等对样品进行了表征. 结果表明, 与室温沉积的钛膜相比, 600 ℃下沉积的钛膜水热后得到的纳米线薄膜与基底的附着力更好. 所得TiO₂纳米须为单晶锐钛矿, 经由Na₂Ti₂O₄(OH)₂、H₂Ti₂O₅·H₂O转变而来. 纳米须形成于水热阶段, 平行于Na₂Ti₂O₄(OH)₂的(100)晶面择优取向生长, 纳米须经历了纳米片→纳米线束→纳米线的裂解生长过程. 朝基底上方取向生长的纳米须薄膜的形成是低浓度NaOH溶液与较高水热温度(220 ℃)协同作用的结果. 进一步在Na₂SO₄溶液中研究了薄膜电极的光电化学性能, 结果表明, TiO₂纳米须薄膜的光电性能明显优于零维纳米颗粒薄膜和二维纳米片薄膜, 显示了良好的应用前景.     

The (100) orientation evolution and temperature-dependent electrical properties of Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3–PbTiO3 ferroelectric films

The 0.2Bi(Zn_1/2Ti_1/2)O₃–0.8PbTiO₃ (0.2BZT–0.8PT) ferroelectric thin film was successfully fabricated on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrates by a sol–gel method. The result indicates that the film exhibits the (100) preferred orientation and has a relatively dense and uniform microstructure with a thickness of ~230 nm. The formation mechanism of the oriented films was ascribed to the growth of the (100) oriented PbO layer at ~450 °C during a layer-by-layer crystallization process. Temperature-dependent electrical properties of the 0.2BZT–0.8PT films were investigated, showing that the film has a potential for high temperature applications.     

Surface modification of thermoplastics by atomic layer deposition of Al2O3 and TiO2 thin films

Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ thin films were deposited by atomic layer deposition at 80-250 °C on various polymeric substrates such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and ethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). The films were studied with FESEM, EDX, XRD, contact angle measurements and adhesion tests. The film growth rates on the thermoplastics were close to the corresponding growth rates on Si substrates. The adhesion of the films was good on PEEK and poor on PTFE. All coated surfaces showed lower water contact angles than the uncoated thermoplastics. Furthermore, the water contact angles on all TiO₂-coated surfaces decreased upon UV illumination, most efficiently with crystalline TiO₂ coatings.     

Si衬底上生长的铁硅化合物结构和取向分析

采用分子束外延法分别在650-920 ℃的Si（110）和920 ℃的Si（111）衬底表面生长出铁的硅化物纳米结构,并主要分析了920 ℃高温下纳米结构的形貌、组成相及其与Si 衬底的取向关系. 扫描隧道显微镜（STM）研究表明,920 ℃高温下,Si（110）衬底上生长的铁硅化合物完全以纳米线的形式存在,且其尺寸远大于650 ℃低温下外延生长的纳米线尺寸;Si（111）衬底上生长出三维岛和薄膜两种形貌的铁硅化合物,其中三维岛具有金属特性且直径约300 nm、高约155 nm,薄膜厚度约2 nm. 电子背散射衍射研究表明920 ℃高温下Si（110）衬底上生长的纳米线仅以β-FeSi₂的形式存在,且β-FeSi₂相与衬底之间存在唯一的取向关系：β-FeSi₂（101）//Si（111）;β-FeSi₂ [010]//Si[110];Si（111）衬底上生长的三维岛由六方晶系的Fe₂Si 相组成,Fe₂Si 属于164 空间群,晶胞常数为a=0.405 nm,c=0.509 nm;与衬底之间的取向关系为Fe₂Si（001）∥Si（111）和Fe₂Si[120]//Si[112].     

Thin films of Ln1−xSrxCoO3 (Ln=La, Nd and Gd) and SrRuO3 by nebulized spray pyrolysis

Thin films of La_1−xSr_xCoO₃, Nd_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃, Gd_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃ and SrRuO₃ have been deposited on Si(100), LaAlO₃(100) and SrTiO₃(100) single crystal substrates by nebulized spray pyrolysis. The films deposited on Si are generally polycrystalline, but they are highly oriented on the oxide substrates. The cobaltate films are generally not metallic, but exhibit low resistivity specially when x=0.3 and 0.5, the latter also exhibiting ferromagnetic characteristics. Films of La_0.7Sr_0.3CoO₃ show negative magnetoresistance of 35% around 180 K. Films of SrRuO₃ are metallic on Si and LaAlO₃ substrates but show an insulator–metal transition on SrTiO₃ around 130 K, around which temperature negative magnetoresistance is observed.     

Crystallization of textured PbTiO3 films deposited from gels

Sol-gel processed PbTiO₃ thin films have been deposited by spin coating onto different subtrates; Si[111], Si/Al, Si/SiO₂/Cr/Pt, MgO[100], SrTiO₃[100] and sapphire. Interactions between the substrate and PbTiO₃ films after heat treatment have been studied by X-ray diffraction and Rutherford Back Scattering. When deposited onto sapphire and Si[111], PbTiO₃ films exhibit a preferred orientation with (101) perpendicular to the substrate. These films become oriented along (100) onto MgO and (001) onto SrTiO₃[100] substrates. A strong channelling effect is observed by the RBS technique when the film is oriented along the c axis on SrTiO₃[100] suggesting that these films are epitaxially grown. The diffusion of metal atoms during the thermal treatment gives rise to the formation of lead silicate on Si[111] substrates. As a result a pyrochlore phase is formed. Lead titanate films on Si/SiO₂/Cr/Pt and Si/Al substrates are polycrystalline and do not exhibit any texture.     

The influence of A-site rare-earth for barium substitution on the chemical structure and ferroelectric properties of BZT thin films

Rare-earth (RE) doped Ba(Zr,Ti)O₃ (BZT) thin films were prepared by rf-magnetron sputtering from a Ba_0.90Ln_0.067Zr_0.09Ti_0.91O₃ (Ln=La, Nd) target. The films were deposited at a substrate temperature of 600 °C in a high oxygen pressure atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of RE-BZT films revealed a 〈001〉 epitaxial crystal growth on Nb-doped SrTiO₃, 〈001〉 and 〈011〉 growth on single-crystal Si, and a 〈111〉-preferred orientation on Pt-coated Si substrates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed uniform growth of the films deposited, along with the presence of crystals of about half-micron size on the film's surface. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) evidenced high crystalline films with thicknesses of about 100 nm for 30 min of sputtering. Electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA) corroborated the growth rate (3.0-3.5 nm/min) of films deposited on Pt-coated Si substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), in depth profile mode, showed variations in photoelectron Ti 2p doublet positions at lower energies with spin-orbital distances characteristic of BaTiO₃-based compounds. The XPS analysis revealed that lanthanide ions positioned onto the A-site of the BZT-perovskite structure increasing the MO₆-octahedra distortion (M=Ti, Zr) and, thereby, modifying the Ti-O binding length. Polarization-electric field hysteresis loops on Ag/RE-doped BZT/Pt capacitor showed good ferroelectric behavior and higher remanent polarization values than corresponding non-doped system.     

Synthesis and microstructural TEM investigation of CaCu3Ru4O12 ceramic and thin film

CaCu₃Ru₄O₁₂ (CCRO) is a conductive oxide having the same structure as CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (CCTO) and close lattice parameters. The later compound is strongly considered for high density parallel plates capacitors application due to its so-called colossal dielectric constant. The need for an electrode inducing CCTO epitaxial growth with a clean and sharp interface is therefore necessary, and CCRO is a good potential candidate. In this paper, the synthesis of monophasic CCRO ceramic is reported, as well as pulsed laser deposition of CCRO thin film onto (001) NdCaAlO₄ substrate. Structural and physical properties of bulk CCRO were studied by transmission electron microscopy and electron spin resonance. CCRO films and ceramic exhibited a metallic behavior down to low temperature. CCRO films were (001) oriented and promoted a CCTO film growth with the same orientation.     

Complex interface and growth analysis of single crystalline epi‐Si(111)/Y2O3/ Pr2O3/Si(111) heterostructures: Strain engineering by oxide buffer control

Complex oxide heterostructures on Si gain in the field of engineered Si wafers increasing interest as flexible buffer systems for developing virtual Si substrates. Strain engineering of thin epitaxial Si thin films on insulating oxide buffers is of special interest to boost charge carrier mobility for Silicon‐on‐Insulator (SOI) technologies. The single crystalline Si(111)/Y₂O₃ (111)/Pr₂O₃ (111)/Si(111) heterostructure offers, in principle, the opportunity to grow strain‐engineered epitaxial Si(111) layers, realizing compressed, fully relaxed, as well as tensile‐strained Si films. This flexibility is based on a thickness‐dependence of the Y₂O₃ lattice constant in the oxide bi‐layer buffer: In theory, the Y₂O₃ buffer lattice constant on Pr₂O₃/Si(111) can change from pseudomorphism (bigger than Si) over the Si lattice constant towards a fully relaxed status (smaller than Si). By a detailed interface analysis, using TEM‐EELS in combination with an in‐situ RHEED–XPS study of the isomorphic Y₂O₃ growth on Pr₂O₃/Si(111), the physical origin of this Y₂O₃ buffer lattice constant variation is identified. It is possible to discriminate between the contributions from chemical mixing effects between the isomorphic oxides Y₂O₃ and Pr₂O₃ on the one hand and true misfit strain relaxation mechanisms in stoichiometric Y₂O₃ on the other hand. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Crystal growth in alumina/poly(ethylene terephthalate) nanocomposite films

The crystal growth and morphology in 150‐nm‐thick PET nanocomposite thin films with alumina (Al₂O₃) nanoparticle fillers (38 nm size) were investigated for nanoparticle loadings from 0 to 5 wt %. Transmission electron microscopy of the films showed that at 1 wt % Al₂O₃, the nanoparticles were well dispersed in the film and the average size was close to the reported 38 nm. Above 2 wt % Al₂O₃, the nanoparticles started to agglomerate. The crystal growth and morphological evolution in the PET nanocomposite films kept at an isothermal temperature of 217 °C were monitored as a function of the holding time using in situ atomic force microscopy. It was found that the crystal nucleation and growth of PET was strongly dependent on the dispersed particles in the films. At 1 wt % Al₂O₃, the overall crystal growth rate of PET lamellae was slower than that of the PET homopolymer films. Above 2 wt % Al₂O₃, the crystal growth rate increased with nanoparticle loading because of heterogeneous nucleation. In addition, in these PET nanocomposite thin films, the Al₂O₃ nanoparticles induced preferentially oriented edge‐on lamellae with respect to the surface, which was not the case in unfilled PET as determined by grazing‐incidence X‐ray diffraction. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 747–757, 2007     

Growth,characterization and interfacial reaction of magnetron sputtered Pt/CeO2 thin films on Si and Si3N4 substrates

Growth of magnetron sputtered Pt/CeO₂ thin films on Si and Si₃N₄ were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Interaction of Pt/CeO₂ films with Si on Si and Si₃N₄ substrates was extensively investigated by XPS. XRD studies show that films are oriented preferentially to (200) direction of CeO₂. XPS results show that Pt is mainly present in +2 oxidation state in Pt/CeO₂/Si film, whereas Pt⁴⁺ predominates in Pt/CeO₂/Si₃N₄ film. Concentration of Pt⁴⁺ species is more than four times on Si₃N₄ substrate as compared with that on Si. Ce is present as both +4 and +3 oxidation states in Pt/CeO₂ films deposited on Si and Si₃N₄ substrates, but concentration of Ce³⁺ species is more in Pt/CeO₂/Si film. Interfacial reaction between CeO₂ and Si substrate is controlled in the presence of Pt. Pt/Ce concentration ratio decreases in Pt/CeO₂/Si₃N₄ film upon successive sputtering, whereas this ratio decreases initially and then increases in Pt/CeO₂/Si film. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

掺杂钒和硅对TiO2薄膜超亲水性的影响

0引言 TiO2薄膜是众多氧化物半导体薄膜中研究最为广泛的一种材料．其表面的超亲水性和表面自清洁效应开辟了光催化薄膜功能材料的新的研究领域，已成为众多研究者研究的对象。但是如果薄膜仅由TiO2组成，当光照停止，水在TiO2薄膜表面的润湿角逐渐升高．并恢复原始状态。TiO2的禁带较宽，普通光线如太阳光等都不能将其激发．限制了其实际应用。因此如何使TiO2材料的光谱响应范围由紫外光反扩展到可见．光区一日如何更长时间地保持薄膜良好的亲水性是目前研究的重点。     

Preparation and Characterization of Molybdenum Oxide Thin Films by Sol-Gel Process

This paper presents a new sol-gel process to prepare molybdenum oxide thin films. A molybdenum acetylacetonate sol was prepared by employing the system CH₃COCH₂COCH₃/MoO₃/C₆H₅CH₃/HOCH₂CH₂OCH₃. A molybdenum acetylacetonate gel was prepared by addition of aqueous NH₃. Thermal gravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analyses (DTA) of the gel suggested that crystallization of MoO₃ occurs in a 140 K temperature range around 508°C. MoO₃ films were prepared on fused silica, Si (111) and Al₂O₃ (012) substrates by annealing spin coating films of the sol in oxygen environment at 508°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that all films crystallize in -MoO₃ structure, and crystallites on fused silica substrate are arbitrarily oriented while those on Si (111) and Al₂O₃(012) substrates oriented in the (010) direction. SEM investigations showed that MoO₃ grains of all films are randomly distributed, with a longitudinal dimension of about 1–5 m and the film thickness is about 1 m.     

Preparation and characterization of thin TiO2-films on gold/mica

Flat and highly (111) oriented gold and silver films were prepared by physical vapour deposition (PVD) using optimized deposition parameters. On these films, which were characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), titanium dioxide films were deposited by electron beam evaporation and dip coating. Dip coating from titanium tetraisopropoxide solutions resulted in films with different morphology and coverage depending on the alkoxide concentration (0.009 mol/L – 0.60 mol/L) and the post-treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and AFM revealed that the deposited TiO₂ consists of amorphous, highly porous islands when the applied alkoxide concentration is high (0.05 mol/L – 0.6 mol/L). At higher temperatures these amorphous TiO₂ islands sintered significantly and crystallized to anatase. In contrast, transparent TiO₂ films were obtained from low concentrated alkoxide solutions (< 0.01 mol/L) which covered the whole substrate, similar to electron beam evaporated thin films. Sputter profiles with ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS) indicated that the film thickness is in the range of 2 nm when alkoxide solutions with a concentration of 9 mmol/L are used. The deposition of TiO₂ by electron beam evaporation normally resulted in significantly reduced TiO₂ films, completely oxidized ones were obtained when deposition was performed at elevated oxygen partial pressures (p(O₂) > 2 × 10^–5 mbar).     

Chemical solution deposited silver tantalate niobate, Ag x (Ta0.5Nb0.5)O3? y , thin films on (111)Pt/Ti/SiO2/(100)Si substrates

Silver tantalate niobate films are candidates for temperature stable microwave dielectrics. In this work, a chemical solution deposition synthesis method was developed for Ag _x (Ta_0.5Nb_0.5)O_3−y films on Pt-coated Si substrates. Stable solutions with a range of silver stoichiometries were prepared using 2-methoxyethanol and pyridine as solvents, from AgNO₃ and Nb and Ta ethoxide precursors. It was extremely difficult to prepare phase-pure perovskite films of Ag(Ta_0.5Nb_0.5)O₃ on Pt-coated Si subtrates; instead a mixture of perovskite and natrotantite phases was identified. Such mixed phase films had dielectric constant ɛ _r and dielectric loss tanδ values ranging from 200±20 to 270±25 and 0.006±0.002 to 0.002±0.001 at 100 kHz, respectively, depending on the firing temperature. For Ag₂(Ta_0.5Nb_0.5)₄O₁₁, Ag_0.8(Ta_0.5Nb_0.5)O_2.9, Ag_0.85(Ta_0.5Nb_0.5)O_2.925 and Ag_0.9(Ta_0.5Nb_0.5)O_2.95 films, mainly the natrotantite phase was observed. The ɛ _r values of these films were between 70±10 and 130±15 with tan δ values of 0.008±0.002 at 100 kHz.     

Growth and Atomic-Scale Characterization of Ultrathin Silica and Germania Films: The Crucial Role of the Metal Support

The present review reports on the preparation and atomic-scale characterization of the thinnest possible films of the glass-forming materials silica and germania. To this end state-of-the-art surface science techniques, in particular scanning probe microscopy, and density functional theory calculations have been employed. The investigated films range from monolayer to bilayer coverage where both, the crystalline and the amorphous films, contain characteristic XO₄ (X=Si,Ge) building blocks. A side-by-side comparison of silica and germania monolayer, zigzag phase and bilayer films supported on Mo(112), Ru(0001), Pt(111), and Au(111) leads to a more general comprehension of the network structure of glass former materials. This allows us to understand the crucial role of the metal support for the pathway from crystalline to amorphous ultrathin film growth.     

Textured PLCT Thin Films Prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si Substrate by Metal-Organic Decomposition

Textured calcium modified (Pb,La)TiO₃ (PLCT) films were deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrates by using a metal-organic decomposition (MOD) process. The PLCT films exhibit good ferroelectric properties, a very low leakage current and a sharp PLCT/Pt interface. The (100) texture of the PLCT film is growth-controlled; the (100) oriented grains grow preferentially so as to minimize the surface energy. Particularly, the (100) preferred orientation is easy to form in the PLCT film with a layered structure for which the substrate almost does not affect the nucleation and growth of the film.     

氧化铟八面体、纳米带、锯齿状纳米线和纳米链的可控合成

在N₂/H₂O混合气流中将硅片上金覆盖的金属铟颗粒加热到800 ℃制备出了不同形貌的In₂O₃纳米结构, 在距铟源不同距离处依次得到In₂O₃的八面体、纳米带、锯齿状纳米线和纳米链. 采用拉曼光谱、扫描电镜、X射线衍射和透射电镜对产物进行了表征分析. 结果表明, 八面体、纳米带、锯齿状纳米线和纳米链均为立方相单晶结构的In₂O₃. 基于气-固和气-液-固生长机理详细分析了八面体、纳米带、锯齿状纳米线和纳米链的生长过程, 提出了不同形貌In₂O₃纳米结构的生长模式.