Phase stability of ZrO/sub 2//sub -/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering

Journal Article · Tue Mar 14 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.39.6234· OSTI ID:6408430

Qadri, S B; Gilmore, C M; Quinn, C; Skelton, E F; Gossett, C R

Thin films of ZrO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ were deposited on a variety of substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering. Nucleation and stability of the cubic, tetragonal, and monoclinic phases of ZrO/sub 2/ were investigated over the entire composition range. As deposited films were all amorphous. Annealing in air at temperatures up to 1000 /sup 0/C for several hours resulted in the crystallization and evolution of ZrO/sub 2/ phases. X-ray diffraction studies suggested that films with (Zr):(Al) atomic ratios up to 70:30 nucleated first with the zirconia in the cubic phase with subsequent transformation to a tetragonal phase as a function of annealing time. These results are consistent with the recent theoretical predictions that the cubic phase is unstable with respect to tetragonal and orthorhombic phases at lower temperatures. Observed decreases in volume of the monoclinic ZrO/sub 2/ phase with increasing Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ content suggest an internal compression that reduces the volume of the monoclinic cell to that of the tetragonal unit cell, at which point the tetragonal structure is then observed.

• Research Organization: Condensed Matter Physics Branch, Condensed Matter and Radiation Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375-5000
• OSTI ID: 6408430
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States) Vol. 39:9; ISSN PRBMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360202* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Structure & Phase Studies
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
ANNEALING
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DEPOSITION
FILMS
HEAT TREATMENTS
MATERIALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SPUTTERING
STABILITY
THIN FILMS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES