Premium
Synthesis of Lanthanum Tungsten Oxynitride Perovskite Thin Films
Author(s) -
Talley Kevin R.,
Mangum John,
Perkins Craig L.,
WoodsRobinson Rachel,
Mehta Apurva,
Gorman Brian P.,
Brennecka Geoff L.,
Zakutayev Andriy
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced electronic materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.25
H-Index - 56
ISSN - 2199-160X
DOI - 10.1002/aelm.201900214
Subject(s) - materials science , thin film , nitride , perovskite (structure) , tetragonal crystal system , lanthanum , sputtering , tungsten , crystal structure , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , nanotechnology , crystallography , metallurgy , layer (electronics) , chemistry , engineering
Ternary metal‐oxide material systems commonly crystallize in the perovskite crystal structure, which is utilized in numerous electronic applications. In contrast to oxides, there are no known nitride perovskites, likely due to the competition with oxidation, which makes the formation of pure nitride materials difficult and synthesis of oxynitride materials more common. While deposition of oxynitride perovskite thin films is important for many electronic applications, it is difficult to control oxygen and nitrogen stoichiometry. Lanthanum tungsten oxynitride (LaWN 3− δ O δ ) thin films with varying La:W ratio are synthesized by combinatorial sputtering and characterized for their chemical composition, crystal structure, and microstructure. A three‐step synthesis method, which involves co‐sputtering, capping layer deposition, and rapid thermal annealing, is established for producing crystalline thin films while minimizing the oxygen content. Elemental depth profiling results show that the cation‐stoichiometric films contain approximately one oxygen for every five nitrogen (δ = 0.5). Synchrotron‐based diffraction indicates a tetragonal perovskite crystal structure. These results are discussed in terms of the perovskite tolerance factors, octahedral tilting, and bond valence. Overall, this synthesis and characterization is expected to pave the way toward future thin film property measurements of lanthanum tungsten oxynitrides and eventual synthesis of oxygen‐free nitride perovskites.