Process-structure-property relations of micron thick Gd2O3 films deposited by reactive electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD)

作者：Grave Daniel A; Hughes Zachary R; Robinson Joshua A; Medill Thomas P; Hollander Matthew J; Stump Anna L; Labella Michael; Weng Xiaojun; Wolfe Douglas E^*

来源：Surface and Coatings Technology, 2012, 206(13): 3094-3103.

DOI：10.1016/j.surfcoat.2011.12.031

• Thick film
• Coating
• Gadolinium oxide
• Gd2O3
• Neutron radiation detection
• EB-PVD

Thick polycrystalline gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) films up to 11 mu m in thickness were deposited via reactive electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) on silicon (111) substrates for use in neutron radiation detection. The effects of coating thickness, substrate temperature, and oxygen flow on film structural, electrical and optical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Films were characterized as either monoclinic or mixed monoclinic and cubic phase depending on deposition parameters. Increasing the deposition temperature resulted in increased film crystallinity and cubic phase volume while decreasing the O-2 flow rate resulted in increased volume of the monoclinic phase. Evidence of a thickness dependent crystallography is also presented. Electrical property measurements showed thin film dielectric constant could be tailored between 12 and 20 at 1 MHz frequency by decreasing the oxygen flow rate at deposition temperatures of 250 degrees C which is attributed to an increased presence of the monoclinic phase and increased film density. Band gap values were calculated from transmission measurements and ranged between 5.44 and 5.96 eV.

• 出版日期2012-2-25