Growth and recrystallization of CeO2 thin films deposited on R-plane sapphire by off-axis RF sputtering

The microstructure of (0 0 1)-oriented epitaxial CeO2 thin layers grown on R-plane sapphire (Al2O3) by off-axis RF sputtering was investigated, The cr ystalline perfection of CeO2 layers was characterized by Bragg-Brentano X-r ay spectra, rocking curves (omega-scan) and TEM. The surface morphology was controlled by AFM. The as-deposited layers display small size mosaicity ( similar to 20 nm), arcing 6-7 degrees, and surface roughness approximate to 4 nm. Our results show that the degree of epitaxy can be increased by post -deposition annealing (grain size similar to 50 nm, arcing 4-5 degrees and surface roughness approximate to 0.6 nm), Microwave properties of YBCO film s deposited on the as-deposited and annealed CeO2 buffer layers are also me ntioned, (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.