Highly oriented δ-Bi2O3 thin films stable at room temperature synthesized by reactive magnetron sputtering

We report the synthesis by reactive magnetron sputtering and structural characterization of highly (111)-oriented thin films of delta-Bi2O3. This phase is obtained at a substrate temperature of 150-200 degrees C in a narrow window of O-2/Ar ratio in the sputtering gas (18%-20%). Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction reveal a polycrystalline columnar structure with (111) texture. The films are stable from room temperature up to 250 degrees C in vacuum and 350 degrees C in ambient air. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4789597]