Structural and electrical properties of La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 thin films prepared by rf magnetron sputtering

La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 thin films were prepared by rf magnetron sputtering from stoichiometric La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 powder target. The rf power and the post deposition annealing conditions have been optimized to obtain conducting La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 thin films. The dependence of conductivity, optical and structural properties of the thin films on the deposition and the post deposition annealing conditions has been investigated. The crystallinity of the films was found to improve with increase of rf power and annealing temperature. The variation in resistivity and band gap with rf power and annealing conditions are correlated.