Epitaxial growth of anatase TiO2 thin films on LaAlO3(100)prepared using pulsed laser deposition

Titanium dioxide thin films were grown on a lattice-matched LaAlO3(100) surfaces using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in oxygen atmosphere. The films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The crystal structure of all the films was anatase. Preferred oriented films with a c-axis normal to the substrate surface were obtained. RHEED analysis also revealed that the films had the preferential in-plane orientation, demonstrating that anatase films were epitaxially grown on the substrate. The flatness of the films depended on their growth conditions and thickness. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.