Oriented growth of thin films of samarium oxide by MOCVD

ABSTRACT Thin films of samarium oxide, Sm₂O₃, have been grown on Si(100) and fused quartz by low-pressure MOCVD using an adducted β-diketonate precursor developed in house. It is found that the nature of the film grown is strongly dependent on substrate temperature. As examined by X-ray diffraction, the films of Sm₂O₃ grown at lower temperatures (∼550°C) on fused quartz are cubic and display a random grain orientation, while they become highly oriented in the (111) direction as the growth temperature is increased (to 625°C). On Si(100), highly oriented films of cubic Sm₂O₃ are obtained at a substrate temperature of 625°C. When the growth temperature is raised, the phase changes to monoclinic. The morphology of the films grown on both quartz and Si(100) substrates has been studied by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The growth of strongly oriented Sm₂O₃ on the disordered surface of fused quartz may be interpreted as being driven by the minimization of surface energy.