Influence of deposition temperature on crystalline structure and morphologies of Co3O4 films prepared by a direct liquid injection chemical vapor deposition

A direct liquid injection chemical vapor deposition was utilized to prepare Co3O4 films with a high deposition rate. All the Co3O4 films showed spinel crystalline structures of CoIICo2IIIO4. A (111)-orientation preferred Co3O4 film with scattered triangular grains and elongated nano-wall surface morphology was prepared at the deposition temperature (Tdep) of 773 K, while randomly grown Co3O4 films with porous structures were found with lower or higher Tdep. The maximum deposition rate (Rdep) of Co3O4 films reached 3.6 μm h− 1, which was around 10 times higher than those previously reported by metal organic CVD method. With increasing Tdep, the color of Co3O4 films changed from light to black brown owing to the thickness difference.