Biaxial Texture Evolution in MgO Films Fabricated Using Ion Beam-Assisted Deposition

Abstract

The growth of multifunctional thin films on flexible substrates is important technologically, because flexible electronics require such a platform. In this study, we examined the evolution of biaxial texture in MgO films prepared using ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) on a Hastelloy substrate. Texture and microstructure developments were characterized through in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction monitoring, x-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy, which demonstrated that biaxial texture was developed during the nucleation stage (~2.2 nm). The best biaxial texture was obtained with a thickness of approximately 12 nm. As MgO continued to grow, the influence of surface energy was reduced, and film growth was driven by the attempt to minimize volume free-energy density. Thus the MgO grains were subsequently rotated at the (002) direction toward the ion beam. In addition, an approach was developed for accelerating in-plane texture evolution by pre-depositing an amorphous MgO layer before IBAD.