Structural characterization of sol-gel lanthanum cobaltite thin films

The present paper is focused on structural, microstructural and compositional studies on nanophasic LaCoO3 thin films obtained by the sol-gel route. The sample structure and microstructure were investigated by Glancing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction (GIXRD) and X-Ray microdiffraction (MicroXRD), whereas the surface and in-depth chemical composition was Studied by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). All the films are structurally homogeneous and not textured. A cubic-to-rhomboedral phase transition was detected after the thermal treatment at 800 degreesC. Evidence of residual stress was found by GIXRD patterns collected at different incidence angles. After thermal annealing at 1000 degreesC, only the crystalline La2O3 phase was detected. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.