AVS 46th International Symposium
    Thin Films Division Monday Sessions
       Session TF-MoP

Paper TF-MoP1
Effect of HCl Catalyst in the Formation of Flat Structures of Ta@sub 2@O@sub 5@ Thin Films by Sol-Gel Technique

Monday, October 25, 1999, 5:30 pm, Room 4C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: C. Cantalini, University of L'Aquila, Italy
Authors: S. Santucci, University of L'Aquila, Italy
C. Cantalini, University of L'Aquila, Italy
A.R. Phani, University of L'Aquila, Italy
Correspondent: Click to Email
Stoichiometric Ta@sub 2@O@sub 5@ thin films have been successfully deposited on Si (100) substrates by sol-gel technique using tantalum ethoxide as precursor. The films were annealed at different temperatures. The compositional and structural characteristics of the films were systematically examined with the aid of X-Ray Diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy and X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy. We demonstrate that upon using Hydrogen chloride (HCl) as catalyst, we obtained uniform flat like structures of Ta@sub 2@O@sub 5@ as observed in tapping mode atomic force microscopy, when compared to the samples without it. X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy measurements have shown the small presence of SiO@sub 2@ interface layer in the deposited films. A plausible mechanism to obtain flat structures is also explained.