Quasi-epitaxial growth of BaTiS3 films

Perovskite chalcogenides have emerged as a new class of semiconductors with tunable band-gap in the visible-infrared region. High quality thin films are critical to understand the fundamental properties and realize the potential applications of these materials. We report growth of quasi-epitaxial thin films of quasi-one-dimensional hexagonal chalcogenide BaTiS3 by pulsed laser deposition. Optimal growth conditions were identified by varying the substrate temperature and H2S partial pressure and their effects on the film structure were examined. High-resolution thin film X-ray diffraction shows strong out-of-plane texture, whereas no evidence of in-plane relationship between the film and the substrate is observed. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering and scanning transmission electron microscopy studies reveal the presence of weak epitaxial relationships of the film and the substrate, despite a defective interface. Our study opens up a pathway to realize quasi-1D hexagonal chalcogenide thin films and their heterostructures with perovskite chalcogenides.

Automated summary

In this study, quasi-epitaxial thin films of hexagonal chalcogenide BaTiS3 were successfully grown by pulsed laser deposition. The effects of various growth conditions on the film structure were examined. Weak epitaxial relationships between the film and substrate were observed, providing a pathway for the realization of hexagonal chalcogenide thin films and their heterostructures with perovskite chalcogenides.