Microstructural properties of multi-nano-layered YSZ thin films

We report the fabrication of submicron, multi-nano-layered, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films by aerosol assisted CVD. The film consisted of a periodic stack of several layers, a few nanometers thick, of the same composition but different density; formation of voids during synthesis originate the low-density layer. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), X-ray reflectometry, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and high angle annular dark field (HAADF) images were employed to analyze the microstructure of the films. GIXRD pattern showed characteristic peaks of cubic zirconia. Peak broadening in the pattern comes from a microstructure composed of nanocrystals, but principally due to the multilayered structure, that cause satellite peaks around the Bragg reflections. Lattice fringes measurement in HRTEM and HAADF images was consistent with the interplanar distance of the YSZ cubic phase. Additionally, lattice parameter obtained from selected area electron diffraction and GIXRD patterns was around 0.513 nm, in agreement to values reported in the literature for YSZ.