Dysprosium oxide and dysprosium-oxide-doped titanium oxide thin films grown by atomic layer deposition

Abstract

Dysprosium oxide and dysprosium-oxide-doped titanium oxide thin films were grown by atomic layer deposition on silicon substrates. For depositing dysprosium and titanium oxides Dy(thd)3-O3 and TiCl4-O3 were used as precursors combinations. Appropriate parameters for Dy(thd)3-O3 growth process were obtained by using a quartz crystal microbalance system. The Dy2O3 films were deposited on planar substrates and on three-dimensional substrates with aspect ratio 1:20. The Dy/Ti ratio of Dy2O3-doped TiO2 films deposited on a planar silicon substrate ranged from 0.04 to 0.06. Magnetometry studies revealed that saturation of magnetization could not be observed in planar Dy2O3 films, but it was observable in Dy2O3 films on 3D substrates and in doped TiO2 films with a Dy/Ti atomic ratio of 0.06. The latter films exhibited saturation magnetization 10−6 A cm2 and coercivity 11 kA/m at room temperature.