ORIENTED FILMS OF LANIO3 AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE LAN-DELTA AND PB(ZR0.52TI0.48)O-3, OBTAINED BY NEBULIZED SPRAY-PYROLYSIS(1NINO3N+1 SERIES, LACUO3)

The technique of nebulized spray pyrolysis has been explored to find o ut whether oriented films of certain important oxides can be produced on single-crystal substrates by this relatively gentle method. Startin g with acetylacetonate precursors, oriented films of metallic LaNiO3 c ontaining nearly spherical grains (30 nm) have been obtained. Films of near-stoichiometric La4Ni3O10 and La3Ni2O7 showing metallic conductiv ity have been obtained by this method. This is indeed gratifying since it is difficult to prepare monophasic and stoichiometric bulk samples of these materials. Films of La2NiO4 show the expected semiconducting behavior. In the La-Cu-O system, starting with acetylacetonates, we h ave obtained films mainly comprising semiconducting La2Cu2O5, which is generally difficult to prepare in bulk form. More interestingly, nebu lized spray pyrolysis gives excellent stoichiometric films of Pb(Zr0.5 2Ti0.48)O-3 consisting of nearly spherical grains (30 nm) which show f erroelectric behavior. The present investigation demonstrates that neb ulized spray pyrolysis provides a useful and desirable route to deposi te oriented films of complex oxide materials on single-crystal substra tes.