Preferred Orientations of NiO Films Prepared by Plasma-Enhanced Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract

Thin films of nickel oxide (NiO) with NaCl-type structure were prepared on glass substrates at 400°C by plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using nickel acetylacetonate as a source material. The relationship between O 2 flow rate, and preferred orientation and microstructure of the NiO films was investigated. Highly crystalline NiO film with (111) orientation was obtained at O 2 flow rates as low as 3 cm 3 /min. As the O 2 flow rate increased from 3 to 70 cm 3 /min, the orientation of NiO films changed from (111) to (100) and deposition rate decreased from 17 to 11 nm/min. Films with both (111) and (100) orientation had columnar structure. The origin of the preferred orientation of the NiO films was discussed.