Off-axis pulsed laser deposition system for epitaxial oxide growth on substrates up to 2 inches in diameter

A novel off-axis pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) system for ferroelectric oxide thin films has been developed. The substrates are mounted "upside-down" and are rotating. The maximum substrate size is 2 inches in diameter. The optical and structural properties of the grown BaTiO₃ films are compared to the films produced by an on-axis PLD system. The stoichiometry and thickness were checked with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The crystalline quality and orientation were investigated with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in channeling configuration (RBS/C). Using atomic force microscopy, the rms surface roughness was measured. The BaTiO₃ films grown on MgO form a planar optical waveguide. The optical losses and the refractive indices of these waveguides were determined with a prism coupling setup. Films grown on 10᎒ mm² MgO (100) substrates in on-axis geometry show optical waveguide losses less than 3 dB/cm.