Growth and characterization of high-quality δ-Bi2O3 thin films grown by carbothermal evaporation

We have succeeded in the heteroepitaxial growth of a single-crystal thin film of delta-Bi2O3, which is stable at room temperature, on a YSZ substrate by carbothermal evaporation. The deposited film has no rotational in-plane domain, and the deposited film has a single crystalline phase. The film thickness is approximately 1.1 mu m, and the interface of the film and the YSZ substrate is smooth. The results in this study indicate that carbothermal evaporation is suitable for the deposition of delta-Bi2O3 thin films. Further, it can be speculated that interfacial stress is crucial in the stabilization of the delta phase, indicating that the deposition as a thin film may play a role in the stabilization of delta-Bi2O3. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.