Crystal Research and Technology
Cryst. Res. Technol. 40, 1124 (2005) - Abstract -

Optimization of Cr8O21 targets for Pulsed Laser Deposition

L. Tortet, F. Guinneton, O. Monnereau, D. Stanoi*, G. Socol*, I. N. Mihailescu*, T. Zhang**, and C. Grigorescu***

Laboratoire MADIREL, UMR 6121, Université de Provence, Centre de St-Jérôme, Avenue Escadrille-Normandie -Niémen, F13397 Marseille Cedex 20, France
*National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics -Laser Department, P.O. Box MG-36, RO-77125 Bucharest, Romania
**Experimental Solid State Group, The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Prince Consort Road, London SW 7 2BZ, UK
***National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics, RO-77125 Bucharest, Romania

Keywords crystal morphology, x-ray diffraction, chromium oxides, nanomaterials
PACS 61.10.Nz, 75.50.Bb, 81.15.Fg, 81.07.-b, 85.75.-d
DOI 10.1002/crat.200410503

This work describes the preparation of Cr8O21 pellets with optimised mass density to be used as targets for Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) of chromium dioxide thin films. Cr8O21 is synthesised by thermal decomposition of CrO3, at 270°C. An attempt to reduce the grain size of the Cr8O21 powder to the nanometer scale has been made in order to increase the density of the pressed and sintered pellets serving as targets. The morphology of those starting fine powders as well as of targets (before and after laser ablation) and the corresponding thin films were characterized and studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The composition of the films is a mixture of crystallised Cr2O3 and amorphous CrO2.




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