PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MGTIO3 THIN-FILMS BY ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE METALORGANIC CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION

We report here for the first time, preparation of the ilmenite titanat e MgTiO3 thin films on Si and SrTiO3 substrates by atmospheric pressur e metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (APMOCVD) technique. Magnesiu m acetylacetonate [Mg(acac)(2)] and titanium isopropoxide [TIP] were u sed as the Mg and Ti precursors, and O-2 was the oxidizing gas. The de posited films were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X- ray energy dispersion analysis and X-ray diffraction technique. The ex perimental results showed that the films deposited on silicon substrat e were single-phase randomly oriented MgTiO3, and on SrTiO3 substrate, only a (012) orientation was observed. The MgTiO3 films, prepared on SrTiO3(100) substrates at a growth temperature of 650 degrees C, were transparent in the visible and exhibited a sharp absorption edge at 38 0 nm in the ultraviolet. The birefringence of the MgTiO3 films was als o measured at room temperature by the cross-correlation method.