Characteristics of ultraviolet-assisted pulsed-laser-deposited Y2O3 thin films

The properties of thin Y2O3 films grown using an in situ ultraviolet (UV)-a ssisted pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique were studied. With respect to Y2O3 films grown by conventional PLD under similar conditions but withou t UV illumination, the UVPLD-grown films exhibited better structural and op tical properties, especially for lower substrate temperatures, from 340 to 400 degrees C. These layers were highly crystalline and textured along the (111) direction, and their refractive index values were similar to those of reference Y2O3 layers. They also exhibited a better stoichiometry and cont ained less physisorbed oxygen than the conventional PLD-grown layers.