Growth of microscale In2O3 islands on Y-stabilized zirconia(100) by molecular beam epitaxy

The growth of micrometer sized arrays of In2O3 islands on Y-stabilized ZrO2(100) was investigated. Indium oxide layers were grown on Y-stabilized ZrO2(100) substrates in a UHV oxide MBE system with a base pressure of 5 × 10-10 mbar and incorporating an indium Knudsen cell and a radiofrequency oxygen plasma source. Substrates were cleaned by exposure to the oxygen atom beam at a substrate temperature of 900 °C. Films were then grown to an estimated thickness of 120 nm with a deposition rate of 0.04 nm/s at a substrate temperature of 900 °C. The epitaxial relationship between the In2O3 islands and the substrate is confirmed by selected area electron diffraction carried out in the HRTEM. It was observed that Y-stabilized ZrO2 is a versatile substrate whose lattice parameter varies with Y doping level, thus providing a means of varying the mismatch with In2O3 epilayers.