Deposition of MgO thin film by liquid pulsed injection MOCVD

NaCl-type magnesium oxide layers were fabricated using the pulsed liquid-injection metal-organic chemical vapour deposition technique. The deposition has been carried out in oxidizing conditions at atmospheric or sub-atmospheric pressure (103 Pa) using a single molecular source: magnesium [bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate)] (Mg(thd)2). The structure, composition and morphology of the magnesia films were analysed by X-ray diffraction, Rutherford Backscattering technique (RBS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The surfaces were analysed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Among the various deposition conditions, the temperature of the substrate and the oxygen flow rate were shown to be the most critical for determining growth rates, morphology and composition.