8 research outputs found
Cr2O3 thin films grown at room temperature by low pressure laser chemical vapour deposition
Chromia (Cr2O3) has been extensively explored for the purpose of developing
widespread industrial applications, owing to the convergence of a variety of
mechanical, physical and chemical properties in one single oxide material.
Various methods have been used for large area synthesis of Cr2O3 films.
However, for selective area growth and growth on thermally sensitive materials,
laser-assisted chemical vapour deposition (LCVD) can be applied advantageously.
Here we report on the growth of single layers of pure Cr2O3 onto sapphire
substrates at room temperature by low pressure photolytic LCVD, using UV laser
radiation and Cr(CO)6 as chromium precursor. The feasibility of the LCVD
technique to access selective area deposition of chromia thin films is
demonstrated. Best results were obtained for a laser fluence of 120 mJ cm-2 and
a partial pressure ratio of O2 to Cr(CO)6 of 1.0. Samples grown with these
experimental parameters are polycrystalline and their microstructure is
characterised by a high density of particles whose size follows a lognormal
distribution. Deposition rates of 0.1 nm s-1 and mean particle sizes of 1.85
{\mu}m were measured for these films.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Thin Solid Film