ZrO2-Sm2O3 Layer Growth Using the MOCVD Method at Low Temperatures and Under Reduced Pressure

Abstract

This work presents the results of structure, microstructure, and chemical composition investigations performed on ZrO2-Sm2O3 layers synthesized by MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition) using Zr(tmhd)4 and Sm(tmhd)3 as reactants on quartz glass substrate. The molar percentage of Sm(tmhd)3 used to obtain the layers at both 500 and 550 °C was 14% and 22.75%, respectively. Synthesis parameters were selected so that the value of the extended criterion Grx/Rex2 (Gr—Grashof number, Re—Reynolds number, x—the distance from the gas inflow point to the CVD (MOCVD) reactor) could be maintained below 0.01. It was determined from XRD (X-ray diffraction) analyses that the layers deposited at 500 °C contained small amounts of a crystalline phase and the layers obtained at 550 °C contained greater amounts of the crystalline phase (solid solution). SEM (scanning electron microscope) observations have also shown that the crystalline phase is present in the layers synthesized at 500 °C, as well as at 550 °C. EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy) studies have indicated that molar content of Sm2O3 in the crystalline phase is lower in comparison to the amount present in the respective amorphous phase. The larger the Sm2O3 content in the layer, the higher the growth rate.