CA(1-X)NIXO CATALYTIC THIN-FILMS PREPARED BY PULSED-LASER DEPOSITION

Ca(1-x)NixO solid-solution films with varying stoichiometry have been prepared by pulsed laser deposition from sintered targets of NiO and C aO. X-ray diffraction data indicate that the films have the structure of sodium chloride. The lattice constants for different stoichiometrie s vary with film composition. Using the Madelung energy as the binding energy between anions and cations and assuming that nickel and calciu m ions are distributed randomly in lattice sites, the lattice constant s were calculated and found to compare with experimental results. This study investigated the compositional changes that occur during the ta rget sintering process and the pulsed laser deposition of films. Using these data, a target composition can be prepared to produce Ca(1-x)Ni xO thin films with any desired lattice constant.