Fabrication of ultrathin metal oxide films using Langmuir-Blodgett deposition

Abstract

Thin Y2O3 films have been fabricated using a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) process. Uniform LB films of yttrium arachidate have been successfully deposited up to 200 layers. These films were found to decompose uniformly above 300°C leaving a thin oxide layer. X-ray diffraction, laser reflection, and Rutherford backscattering have been used to determine crystal structure and stoichiometry of the film before, during, and after thermal decomposition. This test system demonstrates the potential application of Langmuir-Blodgett deposition for inorganic oxide film fabrication of thicknesses ranging from 0.1 to 40 nm.