SNMS AND XRD INVESTIGATIONS OF LASER-DEPOSITED YSZ BUFFER LAYERS

Secondary Neutral Mass Spectrometry (SNMS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to find optimum parameters for the in-situ pulsed laser dep osition of ZrO2/Y2O3 (YSZ) buffer layers on silicon (100) substrates. Homogeneous and nearly stoichiometric concentration depth profiles wer e found by SNMS for the laser deposited YSZ films. A peak of the SiO i ntensity during profiling of the YSZ/Si interface points to a SiO2 int ermediate layer. An increasing Y-deficit of the YSZ films was found by decreasing the laser energy density at the target. Epitaxial growth o f the YSZ thin films was observed at an oxygen partial pressure lower than 10(-3) mbar, a substrate temperature of 600-800-degrees-C and a l aser energy density at the target of about 8 J/cm2.