Deposition and characterization of ZrTiO4 thin films

Thin films of zirconium titanate ZrTiO4 (ZT) were prepared by the MOCVD technique. ZT layers were deposited in air on silicon substrates by using a non-conventional MOCVD system. The chemical composition of these films was investigated by XPS. More information on the thin film structure was obtained from the study of the Zr 3d XPS signal. The temperature of the substrate was found to be a fundamental parameter determining the stoichiometry of the films. It influences also the ordered or disordered structure of the films produced. In addition, the surface roughness of the samples before and after Ar+ ion sputtering was investigated.