RF-Sputtering Deposition of Nd1-xsrxcoo3 Oriented Thin Films

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the successful rf-sputtering deposition of highly oriented NdCoO3 and Nd0.8Sr0.2CoO3 thin films on single-crystalline substrates, highlighting the importance of high substrate temperature for achieving single-phase, high-quality films.

Contribution

First report of highly oriented NdCoO3 and Nd0.8Sr0.2CoO3 thin films deposited by rf-sputtering on single-crystalline substrates with optimized high-temperature conditions.

Findings

High substrate temperature (700°C) yields single-phase, highly oriented films.

Lower temperatures result in multi-phase, less crystalline materials.

LAO substrates match the out-of-plane lattice constant of NSCO.

Abstract

In this paper we reported, to the best of our knowledge, the first deposition of highly oriented thin films (with thickness of about 90 nm) of NdCoO3 and Nd0.8Sr0.2CoO3 cobaltites on single-crystalline STO and LAO substrates. Our investigation has shown that highly oriented single phase thin films of NCO and NSCO can be successfully deposited by means of rf-sputtering if the substrates is heated at high temperatures (700C); lower substrate temperature has shown to lead to multi-phase materials with a low crystallinity degree . LAO substrate showed to give origin to a prefect match of the out-of-plane lattice constant of the NSCO target material.