Magnetron sputtered epitaxial single-phase Ti3SiC2 thin films

We report on the synthesis and characterization of epitaxial single-crystalline Ti3SiC2 films (M(n+1)AX(n)-phase). Two original deposition techniques are described, (i) magnetron sputtering from Ti3SiC2 compound target and (ii) sputtering from individual titanium and silicon targets with co-evaporated C-60 as carbon source. Epitaxial Ti3SiC2 films of single-crystal quality were grown at 900 degreesC with both techniques. Epitaxial TiC(111) deposited in situ on MgO(111) by Ti sputtering using C-60 as carbon source was used to nucleate the Ti3SiC2 films. The epitaxial relationship was found to be Ti3SiC2(0001)//TiC(111)//MgO(111) with the in-plane orientation Ti3SiC2[100]//TiC[101]//MgO[101]. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.