Growth of ceramic thin films on Si(100) using an <i>in situ</i> laser deposition technique

Abstract

We have investigated the formation of MgO and yttria-stabilized ZrO2(YSZ) thin films on Si(100) substrates using laser (wavelength 248 nm pulse duration 40 ns, and repetition rate 5 Hz) physical vapor deposition method. The films were deposited from solid targets of MgO and polycrystalline YSZ in appropriate ambient with the substrate temperature optimized at 650 °C. The absorption coefficient in the MgO target was enhanced by Ni doping. The films were characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (plan and cross section), x-ray diffraction, and Rutherford-backscattering spectrometry. The films were found to be polycrystalline with a texture. The thin films of MgO exhibited 〈111〉 texture, while the YSZ films contained both 〈111〉 and 〈200〉 textures.