Structure and phase dynamics in electrospray deposited amorphous MoO3 via thermal treatment

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Abstract The molybdenum oxides with distinct structure and phases have shown unique properties that are of interest in many scientific and technological applications. However, the scalability to large area deposition and in particular the deposition on the surfaces with specific topology, with a uniform and controlled structure still remains a challenge. In this work a uniform MoO$_3$ film with amorphous structure was achieved via electrospray deposition from fine particles dispersion in water.
A high vapor pressure of solvent was utilized for the progress of the deposition. As-deposited films with large thicknesses ($< 1 \mu$m) show amorphous structures with mean roughness lower than $\sim$ 32 nm. The deposited film subsequently was subject to the thermal treatment with optimal thermodynamic parameters in order to modify the structure, the phase, the defect density and subsequently the electronic properties of the final structure. It is shown that a uniform coating layer with controlled structure and defect density can be achieved. This method facilitates the deposition of the oxide layer on variety of the unconventional surfaces with large area as well as curved geometry.