Preparation and characterization of SrTiO3 thin film on functional organic self-assembled monolayers

SrTiO3 thin film was successfully prepared on the functionalized organic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) by the Liquid Phase Deposition (LPD) method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and metallographic microscope. Measurement of contact angle showed that the hydrophobe substrate was changed into hydrophile by UV irradiation. AFM photographs of octadecyl-trichloro-silane self-assembled monolayer (OTS-SAM) surface approved that UV irradiation did change the morphology of OTS monolayer and provided evidence for the conversion of hydrophilic characteristic. Photographs of Metallographic Microscope showed that OTS-SAM had an active effect on the deposition of SrTiO3 thin film. XRD and SEM indicated that the thin film was of pure cubic phase SrTiO3 and composed of nanosized grains with a size in the range of 100–500 nm. The formation mechanism of the SrTiO3 film was proposed.