Microstructure, crystallinity, and properties of low-pressure MOCVD-grown europium oxide films

A study of growth, structure, and properties of Eu₂O₃ thin films were carried out. Films were grown at 500–600 °C temperature range on Si(1 0 0) and fused quartz from the complex of Eu(acac)₃·Phen by low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique which has been rarely used for Eu₂O₃ deposition. These films were polycrystalline. Depending on growth conditions and substrates employed, these films had also possessed a parasitic phase. This phase can be removed by post-deposition annealing in oxidizing ambient. Morphology of the films was characterized by well-packed spherical mounds. Optical measurements exhibited that the bandgap of pure Eu₂O₃ phase was 4.4 eV. High frequency 1 MHz capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements showed that the dielectric constant of pure Eu₂O₃ film was about 12. Possible effects of cation and oxygen deficiency and parasitic phase on the optical and electrical properties of Eu₂O₃ films have been briefly discussed.