On X-Ray Diffraction Study of Microstructure of ZnO Thin Nanocrystalline Films with Strong Preferred Grain Orientation
Abstract
Textures, stresses, and strains, as well as the overall so-called real structure, are crucial for properties of thin films deposited by different methods and can have both positive and negative effects depending on the film and its application. They were studied by a combination of different X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques for several ZnO films.
The films prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on MgO and sapphire single-crystalline substrates and amorphous-fused silica showed different kinds of strong preferred orientation and also different stresses that could be estimated only from the analysis of quite narrow, nonzero intensity regions of diffraction spots. XRD line broadening was analyzed by a combination of different asymmetric scans.
Fiber (0001) texture and tensile residual stresses were found on fused silica, while domains with local epitaxy and huge compressive stress were detected on MgO substrate, and surprisingly, very strong local epitaxy but not parallel to the (0001) sapphire substrate was observed. No residual stress was detected there.
Some methodological aspects of the XRD studies of thin nanocrystalline films with strong preferred orientation are discussed. DOI: 10.1007/s11661-012-1432-x (C) The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2012