Growth of highly oriented ZrTiO4 thin films by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering

Abstract

ZrTiO4 thin films on Si(100), metals [Al, Ti and Pt coated on Si(100)] and glass were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputter deposition. All films on crystalline substrates exhibited a highly preferred orientation in [020], which were evidenced by the full width at half-maximum (≤0.046°) of the associated rocking curves. The structure of the films on glass, depending on the substrate temperature, was either amorphous or random polycrystalline. Good stoichiometric quality and thermal stability have been observed in films on silicon. The X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy selected-area diffraction studies indicated that, after a sequence of annealing up to 650–700 °C, the distributions of Zr and Ti ions in the octahedral cation sites of crystal structure of the films remained disordered.