La1-xBaxMnOz thin film growth by ion beam sputtering: effects of oxygen partial pressure

High quality La1-xBaxMnOz (LBMO) thin films were successfully grown by the ion beam sputtering method for the first time on MgO and LaAlO3 (LAO) subst rates simultaneously with a supply of molecular oxygen at a substrate tempe rature (T-s) of 700 degreesC. These films exhibit a single phase and good c rystallinity. Effects of oxygen partial pressure (Po) on the crystallinity and c-parameter are studied systematically. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) averaged over (0 0 1) and (0 0 2) X-ray diffraction peaks shows a mi nimum at Po around 2 mTorr for the films grown on MgO. At this Po, FWHM for the films grown on MgO substrate is about 3 times less than that for the f ilms grown on LAO substrate. This indicates that better crystalline films c an be grown on MgO in this particular window of P-0 similar to2 mTorr. The c-parameter values are much smaller for the films grown on MgO as compared to LAG. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.