FORMATION OF ZIRCONIA-CERIA LAYERS ON SILICON-WAFERS USING LASER-ABLATION

The effects of oxygen pressure and silicon substrate temperature on th e formation of zirconia, ceria and ceria-stabilised zirconia layers ha ve been studied by electron microscopy. The composition of the layers and the interaction at the oxide/silicon interface have been analysed using Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy an d Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The conditions of the epitax ial growth of cerium-stabilised zirconia films produced by laser ablat ion have been found. A good matching of lattice parameters may allow t he use of these oxides as buffer layers for high temperature supercond uctive film epitaxy on silicon wafers.