Effect of thickness on metal to semiconductor transition in La doped BaSnO3 films deposited on high mismatch LSAT substrates

Abstract

1% La doped BaSnO3 thin films of different thicknesses, ranging from 15 to 300 nm, were obtained on single crystal Lanthanum Aluminate-Strontium Aluminate Tantalate [LSAT(001)] substrates via Pulsed Laser Deposition. The films grow epitaxially on these substrates (cube-on-cube epitaxy) and are almost relaxed with a strain of ≈0.51% for 300 nm films. All films show n-type conducting behavior with their conductivity varying from 65.36 S cm−1 to 465.11 S cm−1 as the thickness of the film is increased. Low temperature carrier concentration measurements indicate that the films are degenerate semiconductors. Films with a thickness ≥30 nm exhibit metal to semiconductor transition (MST) at low temperatures. Temperature dependent resistivity analysis of the films shows evidence of electron-electron interaction rather than weak localization as the governing transport mechanism below MST. The transition temperature shifts toward lower values at higher thicknesses, strengthening the metallic transport in such films.