Growth of La1-xSrxFeO3 thin films by atomic layer deposition

Thin films of La1-xSrxFeO3 have been prepared by the ALD (atomic layer deposition) technique using La(thd)3 (Hthd = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dione), Sr(thd)2, Fe(thd)3, and ozone as precursors. A so-called ALD window is found in the temperature range 200 to 360 degrees C for LaFeO3. The effect of the pulsing procedure for the precursors on the composition of the films is examined. The results are discussed in relation to a model which ascribes differences between pulsed and obtained stoichiometries to individually different surface-area demands of the precursors. The La1-xSrxFeO3 films turned out to contain only small amounts of carbonate impurities despite the fact that films prepared from Sr(thd)2 and ozone under the same conditions contains virtually pure SrCO3. Films of La1-xSrxFeO3 have been deposited on substrates of (amorphous) soda-lime glass and single crystals of Si(100), SrTiO3(100), and LaAlO3(012). Annealed films on soda-lime glass and Si(100) substrates turned out to be polycrystalline with virtually random orientation of the crystallites. Those on MgO(100) and SrTiO3(100) substrates showed some degree of crystal orientation, whereas the annealed films on LaAlO3(012) proved to contain distinctly oriented crystallites with mosaic features.