Preparation of doped LaGaO3 films by pulsed laser deposition

Doped LaGaO3 oxide is considered to be a promising candidate for an electrolyte in intermediate temperature operating solid oxide fuel cell. Doped LaGaO3 films, with the composition La1-xSrxGa1-yMgyO3-(x+y)/2 was prepared by the pulsed laser deposition technique. The dynamics of the plasma plume during the film deposition was investigated. The estimated velocity of the plume head was in the range of (0.5-1.5)x10(4) m/s depending on ambient pressures. The films deposited on the NiO substrate consisted of many particles and crystalline structure of LaGaO3 was obtained for post annealed films at 1000 degreesC for 6 h. A slight difference in stoichiometry between the target and the film was found by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.