Structure and residual stress in γ-LiAlO2 layer fabricated by vapor transport equilibration on (0 0 0 1) sapphire

γ-LiAlO2 layers with a highly preferred (1 0 0) orientation were prepared by vapor transport equilibration (VTE) technique on (0 0 0 1) sapphire substrate. Microstructure of the γ-LiAlO2 layers was studied by XRD and SEM. In the temperature range from 750 to 1100 °C, the residual stress in the γ-LiAlO2 layers varied from tensile to compressive with the increase of VTE temperature, and the critical point of the change between tensile and compressive stress is around 975 °C.