X-Ray diffraction from epitaxial oxide layers grown from sol–gel

Abstract

A methodology is proposed for microstructural characterization of sol–gel derived epitaxial layers. Yttria stabilized zirconia deposited on (112̄0) cut sapphire wafer is chosen as a representative example of an epitaxial layer fabricated by sol–gel processing. High quality X-ray diffraction data has been obtained with a homemade set-up that allows to record reciprocal space maps in a small amount of time. The diffraction profiles are modeled within the kinematical theory of X-ray diffraction on the basis of microstructural parameters. The analysis of the diffraction profiles along the q z direction yields the average film thickness (41 nm), the thickness distribution (5 nm) as well as the vertical strain profile. A 0.2° mosaicity is found from line shape analysis of the diffraction profile along the q x direction using two orders of reflection of the same crystallographic plane family.