Structural modification of single-axis-oriented yttria-stabilized-zirconia films under zirconium ion bombardment

Abstract

Crystal size and orientation control of yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) films produced by pulsed-laser deposition under zirconium-ion bombardment are reported. A structure development mechanism is proposed based on the correlation between ablated plasma chemistry, velocity distributions of atomic and molecular species in the plasma, bombardment energy, time, incidence angle, film crystal size, and orientation. A near-room-temperature growth of single-axis-oriented YSZ films with (002) texture on randomly oriented polycrystalline substrates is demonstrated. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.