RF-sputtering deposition of MgMn2O4 spinel thin films

In this paper we describe about the synthesis of MgMn2O4 thin films by means of off-axis RF magnetron sputtering and their structural and morphological characterisation realised by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). We explored different synthesis conditions, namely the substrate temperature, Ts, and the sputtering gas composition and we could observe that well-crystallised films are obtained at Ts = 500 C while the effect of the sputtering gas composition is to affect the structural properties of the films deposited. The thin films deposited always present a crystal structure less distorted with respect to the one of the target material. The possibility of synthesising films of low distorted spinels or even cubic ones may be an interesting way of preparing buffering layers for the growth of isostructural materials such as other spinels or pseudocubic perovskites.