Application of Raman spectrometry for the characterization of complex oxide thin films grown by MOCVD

Thin epitaxial films of complex oxide materials including superconductors R Ba2Cu3O7.delta (R=Ho,Lu), CMR manganites R(1-x)A(x)MnO(3) (R = La, Pr, Nd; A = Ca, Sr), conducting perovskites La0.5Sr0.5CoO3LaNiO3 were prepared by a erosol and flash MOCVD. The application of Raman spectrometry was found to be an unique possibility for a non-destructive control of the oxygen conten t of the material in films (including the analysis of the oxygen isotope co ntent) and the appearance of secondary phases. In particular cases, the pha se analysis can be carried out for very small amounts of impurity phase exc eeding the detection limit provided by other techniques, such as X-ray diff raction or EDX element analysis. Advances in the measurement technique have expanded:facilities of Raman spectrometry to the analysis of perovskite th in films with only minor deviations from a cubic symmetry. As a result, del icate variations of the structure with the composition of thin film perovsk ite-like solid solutions were studied.