Low-temperature growth of Y[sub 2] O[sub 3] thin films by ultraviolet-assisted pulsed laser deposition.

Abstract. Thin Y[sub 2]O[sub 3] films have been grown on (100) Si using an in-situ ultraviolet-assisted pulsed laser deposition (UVPLD) technique. When compared to conventional pulsed laser deposited (PLD) films under similar conditions, the UVPLD-grown films exhibited better structural and optical properties, especially those grown at lower substrate temperatures, from 200 Celsius to 400 Celsius. X-ray diffraction investigations showed that the films grown were highly crystalline and textured. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry investigations, UVPLD-grown Y[sub 2] O[sub 3] films have a better overall stoichiometry and contain less physisorbed oxygen than the conventional PLD-grown films. The refractive index values, measured in the range 300-750 nm by using variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, were similar to those of a reference Y[sub 2]O[sub 3] film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]