A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Preferentially oriented SrTiO3 thin films grown on lanthanide-assisted Si(001) via pulsed laser deposition
Authors: Rijckaert, Hannes; Latronico, Giovanna; Deduytsche, Davy; Solano, Eduardo; Paturi, Petriina; Mele, Paolo
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Journal of Materials Chemistry. C
ISSN: 2050-7526
eISSN: 2050-7534
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d5tc03382a
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1039/d5tc03382a
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/506486516
The integration of high-quality SrTiO3 thin films on silicon substrates is crucial for various applications. This work investigates the use of an out-of-plane, self-oriented La2O2CO3 seed layer prepared via the chemical solution deposition (CSD) method as a template for SrTiO3 growth by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The growth window of the SrTiO3 thin film was determined by in situ X-ray diffraction and by studying the thermal stability of the La2O2CO3 film. This study resulted in crack-free films with preferential but not exclusive (001) out-of-plane orientation when using one-step PLD deposition at 750 °C. Further in-depth X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the SrTiO3 film exhibited multiple preferential orientations rather than a continuous fibre texture. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed a uniform SrTiO3 film without interfacial reactions and a homogeneous composition. These findings highlight the key role of deposition conditions in controlling crystallinity and orientation, enabling the integration of high-quality perovskite oxide on silicon.
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Funding information in the publication:
H. R. acknowledges support and funding as a postdoctoral fellow for fundamental research from the Research FoundationFlanders (FWO) under grant number 1273621N. GIWAXS patterns were measured at the ALBA synchrotron facility with the collaboration of the ALBA staff.