Growth of CuInO2 thin film using highly dense Cu2O-In2O3 composite targets

It is reported that CuInO₂ single phase is hardly obtainable by using the general mixed oxide synthesis route [M. Shimode, M. Sasaki, K. Mukaida, J. Solid State Chem. 151(1) (2000) 16.; L. Liu, K. Bai, H. Gong, P. Wu, Phys. Rev. B 72(12) (2005) 1252041.; H. Hahnn, C. Lorent, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 279 (1955) 281.]. Therefore, the manufacturing of highly dense single phase targets for CuInO₂ thin film growing is still challenging. In this study, a Cu₂O-In₂O₃ composite target instead of a CuInO₂ single phase target was fabricated by using the general mixed oxide synthesis route. Thin films of CuInO₂ were grown on sapphire substrates by a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) process under various conditions, and c-axis oriented single phase CuInO₂ thin films were grown successfully when oxygen partial pressure was controlled.