Growth of biaxial textured MgO-Layers by ion-beam assisted pulsed laser deposition

MgO thin films were deposited on amorphous substrates using pulsed laser de position. Without an assisting ion beam, strong fibre textures are observed changing with temperature. Using an ion beam at 55 degrees with respect to the substrate normal and energies of more than 400 eV, biaxially textured films are grown with the <200> direction parallel to the ion beam. Decreasi ng the deposition rate the texture changes towards the desired cube texture and resputtering becomes more important. Investigations of the surface top ography show an increase in roughness and grain size with increasing film t hickness. Preliminary ideas of texture and microstructure development in th is deposition process are presented.