GROWTH OF YTTRIA AND DYSPROSIUM THIN-FILMS BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY AND THEIR CHARACTERIZATION

The thin film deposition of yttria (Y2O3) and dysprosium (Dy) on singl e crystal substrates of YSZ and SrTiO3 has been studied under MBE cond itions. Yttria is found to be very stable under electron beam evaporat ion. Depending upon the growth temperatures, two growth regimes which give rise to epitaxial growth of Y2O3 on [100]YSZ substrates and predo minantly oriented films along [222] are identified. In the case of Dy films on [100]SrTiO3 substrates, for growth temperatures above 600-deg rees-C the growth orientation is found to be [101], whereas below this temperature the films are polycrystalline in nature. ESCA measurement s made on Dy films reveal their special affinity to oxygen.