Controllable vapor phase fabrication of F:Mn₃O₄thin films functionalized with Ag and TiO₂

Abstract

The first example of vapor phase fabrication of Mn3O4(hausmannite) thin films chemically modified with fluorine and functionalized with Ag and TiO2, resulting in high purity composites with an intimate constituent contact.

Structure and properties of Mn3O4 thin films grown on single crystal substrates by chemical vapor deposition

“…For both samples, the values of TC220 = 1.3 and TC211 = 0.7 highlighted a preferential (220) orientation, at variance with Si-supported samples [24], suggesting a direct substrate influence on material microstructure and growth mechanism. More specifically, crystallite dimensions (D), dislocation density (δ) and microstrain (ε) values [24] yielded D = 22 (26) nm, δ = 1.5×10 15 (1.0×10 15 ) lines/m 2 and ε = 4.9×10 −3 (4.0×10 −3 ) for Mn3O4/STO (Mn3O4/YAO). As can be observed, both the dislocation density and microstrain values decreased with an increase in the corresponding average crystallite dimensions (and also aggregate sizes estimated by FE-SEM analyses; see below), i.e.…”

“…Additional information was obtained by the evaluation of texture coefficients (TC) [24,29] for (211) and (220) reflections. For both samples, the values of TC220 = 1.3 and TC211 = 0.7 highlighted a preferential (220) orientation, at variance with Si-supported samples [24], suggesting a direct substrate influence on material microstructure and growth mechanism.…”

“…Additional information was obtained by the evaluation of texture coefficients (TC) [24,29] for (211) and (220) reflections. For both samples, the values of TC220 = 1.3 and TC211 = 0.7 highlighted a preferential (220) orientation, at variance with Si-supported samples [24], suggesting a direct substrate influence on material microstructure and growth mechanism. More specifically, crystallite dimensions (D), dislocation density (δ) and microstrain (ε) values [24] yielded D = 22 (26) nm, δ = 1.5×10 15 (1.0×10 15 ) lines/m 2 and ε = 4.9×10 −3 (4.0×10 −3 ) for Mn3O4/STO (Mn3O4/YAO).…”

“…Depositions were performed at a total pressure of 10.0 mbar for 1 h on as-received SrTiO3 (111) and Y3Al5O12(100) substrates (CRYSTAL GmbH ® , Berlin). Basing on previous experiments [23][24], the growth temperature was fixed at 400°C. At the end of each deposition process, the specimens were cooled down at room temperature under flowing O2 before subsequent analyses.…”

“…X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were collected on a Bruker D8 Advance diffractometer equipped with a Göbel mirror, using a CuK source powered at 40 kV and 40 mA. Texture coefficients (TC), average crystallite dimensions (D), dislocation density (δ) and microstrain (ε) values were calculated following previous works [24][25][26]. Lattice parameters were obtained from (220) and (211) reflections [27].…”