https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2004-00287-5
Influence of growth mode on stoichiometry in epitaxial calcium ruthenate thin films
1
Di.M.S.A.T., Università di Cassino, via di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, Italy
2
Coherentia-INFM, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy
3
Dip. Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy
4
Dip. Scienze Fisiche, Università Federico II di Napoli, e Coherentia-INFM, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy
Corresponding author: a scotti@na.infn.it
Received:
29
May
2003
Revised:
13
April
2004
Published online:
30
September
2004
Clear evidence about the influence of growth orientation on the
stoichiometry of sputtered oxide thin films is reported and discussed. The
growth of stoichiometric and of non-stoichiometric films is respectively
obtained, from the same CaRuO3 target, on the surface of (110) and
(100) perovskite substrates. Such phenomenon has been systematically
investigated by deposition of pairs of samples in the same deposition run.
Our data show that in samples deposited on (100) perovskites, Ca excess
leads to the formation of a single Ca-rich phase with stoichiometry
CaRu
O3, resulting in a dramatic effect on transport
properties. Structural characterization based on X-ray diffraction proves
that the orthorhombic structure is preserved in a wide stoichiometry range.
The striking evidence that substrate orientation influences film
stoichiometry is discussed in terms of growth kinetics and chemical
properties of sputtered species.
PACS: 68.55.-a – Thin film structure and morphology
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2004