Microstructure and texture evolution in oxide films prepared by ion-beam assisted laser deposition

oriented films of Yttria stabilized Zirconia were deposited on polycrystall ine and amorphous substrates. The film texture in dependence of deposition parameters was examined with X-ray texture analysis, As deposited films wer e analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, All films showed a columnar film growth structure. The diameter of the col umns increased with film thickness and could be related to the Sim in-plane orientation. The nucleation process was found to be polycrystalline and in dependent of the ion-beam assistance. At an early growth stage, a growth st ructure of (001) oriented columns emerges from the randomly oriented crysta llites. The film in-plane texture forms in a competition of (001) oriented columns, where columns oriented with their (111) axis parallel to the impin ging ion-beam dominate the film texture. The out-of plane growth orientatio n was found to depend on substrate temperature and laser energy density, wh ile the ion-beam affects mainly the in-plane orientation.