Growth of different phases of yttrium manganese oxide thin films by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

Various phases of yttrium manganese oxide (YMO) thin films have been synthesized on different substrates from a single target of h-YMnO3. It is observed that the phase stability and crystallinity of YMO thin films depend on the substrate used and oxygen partial pressure (OPP). (110) oriented and polycrystalline growth of h-YMnO3 are observed on the Al 2O3 (0001) and NGO (110) substrates respectively, when grown in OPP ≈ 10-6 Torr. While for similar OPP value, growth of mixed phases (h-YMnO3 and o-YMn2O5) is observed on Si (001) substrate. Oriented growth of O-YMn2O5 phase film on Si (001) substrate is observed first time, when deposited at OPP value of 225 and 350 mTorr. +3 and mixed oxidation states (+3 and +4) of Mn were confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in pure YMnO3 phase and YMn2O5 phase respectively. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.