The Evolution of Preferred Orientation and Morphology of NiO Thin Films under Variation of Plasma Source and RF Power

Plasma source와 RF power에 따른 NiO박막의 우선배향성 및 표면형상

NiO thin films are very attractive for use as an antiferromagnetic layer, p-type transparent conducting films, in electrochromic devices and functional sensor layer for chemical sensors, due to their excellent chemical stability, as well as optical, electrical and magnetic properties. In addition, (100)- and (111)-oriented NiO films can be used as buffer layers on which to deposit other oriented oxide films, such as c-axis-oriented perovskite-type ferromagnetic films and superconducting films, because of the similarity in symmetry of oxygen ion lattice and lattice constants between the NiO films and the oriented oxide films. Thus, controlling the crystallographic orientation and surface roughness of the NiO films for a buffer layer are very important.