Properties of CeO₂ thin films deposited on Si(100) and Si(111) substrates by radio frequency-magnetron sputtering

CeO₂ thin films were grown on Si(100) and Si(111) substrates by radio frequency-magnetron sputtering. The growth temperature and the substrate orientation have significant influences on the preferred orientations of deposited CeO₂ films. X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy analyses showed that CeO₂ on Si(111) has a better preferred orientation in the direction of the substrate orientation than CeO₂ on Si(100). CeO₂ films deposited on Si(111) substrates maintain a preferred orientation better than CeO₂ films on Si(100), when they are subjected to annealing at 900 °C in O₂ atmosphere for 30 min. Rutherford backscattering spectra taken of CeO₂/Si before and after annealing showed that CeO₂ has strong thermal stability. © 1998 American Vacuum Society.