Showing papers on "Pulsed laser deposition published in 1995"

Properties of YBa2Cu3O7−δ thick films on flexible buffered metallic substrates

Abstract: We report superconducting and mechanical properties of YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) thick films on Ni‐based alloys with a textured yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) buffer layer. The YBCO and YSZ layers were deposited by pulsed laser deposition and ion beam assisted deposition, respectively. It was found that the transport critical current density (Jc) correlates very well with the YBCO mosaic spread. Jc over 1×10 6 A/cm2 at 75 K and ∼1×107 A/cm2 at 4 K were obtained in the 1‐μm thick YBCO films. Zero field critical current of 120 amps at 75 K was obtained in a 2‐μm‐thick and 1‐cm‐wide YBCO film. Angular dependence measurement revealed Jc peaks for both H∥c and H∥a‐b. The peak for H∥c implies additional pinning due to defects such as small angle grain boundaries or twin boundaries. Bending tests at 75 K showed that the YBCO thick films on the metallic substrates could sustain a strain of 0.4% and over 1% for tension and compression, respectively.

Electrode contacts on ferroelectric Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 and SrBi2Ta2O9 thin films and their influence on fatigue properties

Abstract: The degradation (fatigue) of dielectric properties of ferroelectric Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 (PZT) and SrBi2Ta2O9 thin films during cycling was investigated. PZT and SrBi2Ta2O9 thin films were fabricated by metalorganic decomposition and pulsed laser deposition, respectively. Samples with electrodes of platinum (Pt) and ruthenium oxide (RuO2) were studied. The interfacial capacitance (if any) at the Pt/PZT, RuO2/PZT, and Pt/SrBi2Ta2O9 interfaces was determined from the thickness dependence of low‐field dielectric permittivity (er) measurements. It was observed that a low er layer existed at the Pt/PZT interface but not at the RuO2/PZT and Pt/SrBi2Ta2O9 interfaces. In the case of Pt/PZT, the capacitance of this interfacial layer decreases with increasing fatigue while the er of the bulk PZT film remains constant. This indicates that fatigue increases the interfacial layer thickness and/or decreases interfacial layer permittivity, but does not change the bulk properties. For the capacitors with RuO2/PZT/RuO2 and Pt/S...

Voltage offsets in (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films

Abstract: Cooling (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 films from their pulsed laser deposition temperature in a reducing ambient yields a voltage offset in the polarization–voltage characteristics. Reversing the as‐processed polarization at 120 °C nearly removes the offset. By reversing the polarization at room temperature and either heating the film at zero voltage or illuminating the film with UV light, the offset can be partially changed. All changes are recoverable using the same processes with opposite polarity polarization. This behavior is explained by a process‐induced accumulation of oxygen vacancies at one interface, oxygen vacancy defect‐dipole complexes throughout the film, and trapping of free electrons at the interface of positive polarization. Voltage offset and shift effects are not observed in films cooled in 1 atm of oxygen

Science and technology of electroceramic thin films

Abstract: Preface. Pulsed Laser Ablation-Deposition and Characterization of Ferroelectric Metal Oxide Heterostructures R. Ramesh, O. Auciello, V.G. Keramidas, R. Dat. Low Energy Ion Bombardment Induced Effects in Multi-Component Electroceramic Thin Films S.B. Krupanidhi. Growth and Properties of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 - PbTiO3 and Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 Thin Films by Pulsed Laser Deposition A. Safari, C. Tantigate, J. Lee. Wavelength Dependence in Pulsed Laser Deposition of ZnO Thin Films D. Craciun, V. Craciun. Organometallic Chemical Vapor Deposition of Lead Zirconate Titanate M. de Keijser, P.J. van Veldhoven, G.J.M. Dormans. Alkoxide Precursors for Ferroelectric Thin Films M.I. Yanovskaya, N.Ya. Turva, L.I. Solov'Yova. Deposition of Undoped and Doped Pb (Mg,Nb)O3 - PbTiO3, PbZrxTi1-xO3, Alkaline Earth Titanate and Layered Perovskite Thin Films on Pt and Conductive Oxide Electrodes by Spin - On Processing: Correlation of Growth and Electrical Properties M. Klee, U. Mackens, J. Pankert, W. Brand, W. Klee. Relationships between Ferroelectric 90 Degrees Domain Formation and Electrical Properties of Chemically Prepared Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 Thin Films B.A. Tuttle, T.J. Garino, J.A. Voigt, T.J. Headley, D. Dimos, M.O. Eatough. Characterization of Sol-Gel Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 Thin Film Capacitors with Hybrid (Pt,RuO2) Electrodes H.N. Al-Shareef, O. Auciello, A.I. Kingon. Organically Modified Sol-Gel Precursors for Ferroelectric Deposition by Spin Coating P. Gaucher, J. Hector, J.C. Kurfiss. Preparation and Properties of Calcium Modified Lead Titanate Thin Films M.L. Calcada, F. Carmona, R. Sirera, B. Jimenez. Microstructure of Lead Titanate-Based Thin Films L. Pardo, J. Ricote, M.L. Calzada. Stoichiometry and Phase Structure of Sol-Gel Derived PZT-Based Thin Films M. Kosec, Y. Huang, E. Sato, A. Bell, N. Setter, G. Dra i , S. Bernik, T. Beltram. Liquid Phase Epitaxy of Na1-yKyTa1-xNbxO3 on KTaO3 Substrates Z. Sitar, R. Gutmann, P. Gunter. Pulse Switching Characterization of Ferroelectric Thin Films P.K. Larsen, R. Cuppens, G.J.M. Dormans. Polarization, Conduction, and Breakdown in Non-Ferroelectric Perovskite Thin Films R. Waser. Anomalous Logarithmic Dependencies in CD.C. Breakdown of Ferroelectric Thin Films J.F. Scott. The Shape of the Hysteresis Curve of Ferroelectric Single Crystals and Ceramics G. Arlt. Fast Transient Measurements on Electroceramic Thin Films G.W. Dietz, M. Schumacher, R. Waser. The Influence of Dopants on the Leakage Current in PZT Thin-Film Ferroelectric Capacitors D.J. Wouters, G. Willems, G. Groeseneken, H.E. Maes, K. Brooks, R. Klissurska. Photo-Induced Storage and Imprinting in (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 Thin Films D. Dimos, W.L. Warren, B.A. Tuttle. Depletion, Depolarizing Effects and Switching in Ferroelectric Thin Films A.K. Tagantsev, M. Landivar, E. Colla, K.G. Brooks, N. Setter. Nonstoichiometry, Defects, and Charge Transport in PZT M.V. Raymond, D.M. Smyth. X-Ray Diffraction Line Profile Analysis of ZnO Thin Films Deposited on Al-SiO2-Si Substrates P. Sutta, Q. Jackuliak, V. Tvarozec, I. Novotny. Electron Emission from Ferroelectrics H. Gundel. Integration of Ferroelectric Thin Films for Memory Applications H. Achard, H. Mace. Processing and Device Issues of High Permittivity Materials from Drams B.E. Gnade, S.R. Summerfelt, D

Zinc‐indium‐oxide: A high conductivity transparent conducting oxide

Abstract: We report the fabrication and characterization of zinc‐indium‐oxide films with similar electrical conductivity and better transparency in both the visible and infrared compared with indium–tin–oxide, a widely used transparent conductor in many technological applications. Dramatically superior transmission properties in the 1–1.5 μm range in particular make zinc–indium–oxide attractive for use in infrared devices, where transparent electrodes are required. Resisitivities as low as 400 μΩ cm result from doping with small quantities of Sn; Al, Ga, and Ge are also effective dopants. Deposition on glass and quartz substrates as amorphous films by pulsed laser deposition and dc reactive sputtering is described.

Dynamics of laser ablation plume penetration through low pressure background gases

Abstract: The dynamics of laser‐ablated yttrium plume propagation through background argon have been investigated with fast time‐ and spatially‐resolved plasma diagnostics in order to characterize a general phenomenon believed to be important to film growth by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). During expansion into low‐pressure background gases, the ion flux in the laser ablation plasma plume is observed to split into fast and slow components over a limited range of distances including those typically utilized for PLD. Optical absorption and emission spectroscopy are employed to simultaneously identify populations of both excited and ground states of Y and Y+. These are correlated with intensified‐CCD (ICCD) photographs of visible plume luminescence and ion fluxes recorded with fast ion probes. These measurements indicate that plume‐splitting in background gases is consistent with scattering of target constituents by ambient gas atoms. The momentum transfer from these collisions produces a transition from the initial,...

Reactive pulsed laser deposition of CNx films

Abstract: Carbon nitride (CNx) films were prepared by reactive pulsed laser deposition at nitrogen partial pressure PN2varying from 0 to 300 mTorr. It is found that the atomic fraction of nitrogen f in the films first increases with increasing PN2, reaches a maximum of 0.32 at PN2=100 mTorr, and then decreases to a saturated value of 0.26 at PN2≳200 mTorr. Because of the absence of energetic particles in reactive pulsed laser deposition, the limited nitrogen content cannot be attributed to preferential sputtering of nitrogen that is generally observed in particle‐assisted deposition of CNx films. Infrared absorption experiments show the existence of C≡N bonds and graphitic sp2 bonds. The sp2 bonds become IR active because of symmetry breaking of graphitic rings as a consequence of nitrogen incorporation. CNx films deposited at low PN2 (e.g., 5 mTorr) are more graphitic than the diamondlike pure carbon sample deposited at PN2=0, so have a slightly narrower electron band gap Eopt and a significantly higher room‐tempe...

Growth and giant magnetoresistance properties of La‐deficient LaxMnO3−δ (0.67≤x≤1) films

Abstract: Epitaxial thin films of lanthanum‐deficient LaxMnO3−δ (0.67≤x≤1) have been grown on (100) SrTiO3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The as‐deposited films exhibit a ferromagnetic transition at temperatures ranging from 115 to 240 K, with the transition temperature (Tc) increasing with higher La deficiency. A sharp drop in resistivity and negative magnetoresistance is observed close to Tc, a behavior similar to that observed in divalent substituted La1−xMxMnO3−δ (M=Ba, Sr, Ca, Pb) films. Postannealing the films in O2 reduces the resistivity and raises the Tc to values close to room temperature. A magnetoresistance value of 130% (Δρ/ρH) has been obtained at 300 K at 4 T for a post‐annealed film with x=0.75.

Uniform dielectric film deposition on textured surfaces

Abstract: Uniformity of thin deposited layers on textured surfaces is enhanced by reducing the total surface area available to film deposition. The backside surface area of a semiconductor wafer is reduced prior to film deposition, thereby reducing the available surface to deposition when a deposition process is supply-limited. Reducing the backside surface area suppresses nonuniformities in thin film deposition when the deposition process is substantially supply-limited. The present invention is advantageous for improving uniformity of nitride capacitor dielectric layers deposited on textured electrodes.

High quality epitaxial aluminum nitride layers on sapphire by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract: We have grown high quality epitaxial AlN layers on sapphire substrates by pulsed laser ablation of a stoichiometric AlN target. The AlN films deposited at 800 °C and laser energy densities in the range of 2–3 J/cm2 were found to be epitaxial with the c axis normal to the Al2O3(0001) surface. The x‐ray rocking curve of epitaxial AlN films yielded a full width at half maximum of 0.21°. The selected area electron diffraction patterns and high resolution transmission electron microscopy also revealed that the films were epitaxial with an orientational relationship of AlN[0001]∥Al2O3[0001] and in‐plain alignment of AlN[1210]∥Al2O3[0110] and AlN[1010]∥Al2O3[2110]. This is equivalent to 30° rotation in the basal plane of the AlN film with respect to the sapphire substrate. The absorption edge measured by ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy for the epitaxial AlN film was sharp and the band gap was found to be 6.1 eV. The electrical resistivity of the films was about 5–6×1013 ohm cm with a breakdown field of 5×1...

Epitaxial growth of AlN thin films on silicon (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract: Aluminum nitride thin films have been grown epitaxially on Si(111) substrates, for the first time, by pulsed laser ablation of sintered AlN target. The influence of process parameters such as laser energy density, substrate temperature, pulse repetition rate, nitrogen partial pressure, etc. on epitaxial growth has been investigated to obtain high quality AlN films. These films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction (Θ and ω scans) technique, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The films deposited at laser energy density in the range of 2–3 J/cm2, substrate temperature of 750 °C, and base pressure of 3×10−7 Torr are single phase and highly oriented along c axis normal to the Si(111) planes. The results of x‐ray diffraction and electron microscopy on these films clearly show the epitaxial growth of the AlN films with an orientational relationship of AlN[0001] ∥ Si[111] and AlN[2110] ∥ Si[011]. Th...

Thin film ferroelectric composites and method of making

Abstract: A thin film composite material comprises barium strontium titanate represented as Ba1-x Srx TiO3 wherein x is greater than 0.0 but less than or equal to 0.75 and a magnesia-based compound such as MgZrO3, MgTiO3, MgAl2 O4 and mixtures thereof. The thin film ferroelectric composite is made using pulsed laser deposition and exhibits high tunability, low loss and a low dielectric constant.

Structural and electrical properties of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 thin films with conductive SrRuO3 bottom electrodes

Abstract: Epitaxial Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 (BST) thin films were deposited on LaAlO3 substrates with the conductive metallic oxide SrRuO3 (SRO) as a bottom electrode by pulsed laser deposition. The BST and SRO films were (h00) and (00l) oriented normal to the substrate surface, respectively. The epitaxial nature of both BST and SRO layers was determined by the measurement of in‐plane orientation with respect to the major axes of the substrate. Ion beam channeling with a minimum yield of around 10% from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry demonstrated the films to be of high crystallinity. A dielectric constant around 500 and dielectric loss less than 0.01 at a frequency of 10 kHz were measured on the capacitors with a configuration of Ag/BST/SRO. Electrical measurements on such epitaxial BST films showed a breakdown voltage above 106 V/cm and a leakage current density of less than 5×10−8 A/cm at a field intensity of 2×105 V/cm. These results prove the BST/SRO heterostructure to be a good combination for microelectronic device applications.

Novel fatigue-free layered structure ferroelectric thin films

Abstract: For the first time, fatigue-free ferroelectric thin-film capacitors have been fabricated, using pulsed laser deposition, with the layer-structure family of oxides as the ferroelectric material Stoichiometric thin films of layer-structured SiBr2(TaxNb2−x)O9 (0 < x < 2) compounds were successfully deposited on platinized Si/SiO2 wafers Technological opportunities now exist for the development of commercially viable ferroelectric random access memory devices using these materials So far, this has been primarily hindered by degradation problems such as fatigue in the currently investigated ferroelectric thin film capacitors, eg PbZrxTi1−xO3 films on Pt electrodes The identification of these fatigue-free thin-film materials and their processing, structure and properties are discussed in this paper The films show very good hysteresis characteristics with a remnant polarization value of 11 μC cm−2, and no fatigue was observed up to 109 switching cycles

Imprint and oxygen deficiency in (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 thin‐film capacitors with La‐Sr‐Co‐O electrodes

Abstract: La‐Sr‐Co‐O/Pb‐La‐Zr‐Ti‐O/La‐Sr‐Co‐O thin‐film capacitors have been grown in various oxygen ambients by pulsed laser deposition. As the oxygen ambient became more reducing, the capacitors developed more voltage asymmetry in hysteresis loops and a more preferred polarization state directed towards the top electrode. PLZT capacitors cooled in a fully oxidizing atmosphere (i.e., 1 atm oxygen pressure) exhibited nominally symmetric hysteresis loops and also showed little imprint both with and without fully saturating bias fields. We find that ambient oxygen pressure is an important process parameter and the imprint behavior is closely related with ambient oxygen induced effects such as oxygen vacancies, its related defect‐dipole complexes and trapping of free charges. The different imprint behavior under negative and positive bias also suggests that the dipolar‐defect complexes tend to cause imprint in PLZT capacitors.

Pulsed laser deposition of diamond‐like amorphous carbon films from graphite and polycarbonate targets

Abstract: Amorphous carbon (a‐C) and amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a‐C:H) films are produced by 248 nm pulsed laser ablation of graphite and polycarbonate targets in high vacuum conditions. Plasma plumes generated by target irradiation with different laser fluences are investigated with laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy and an electrostatic probe. Ions of C2+ with kinetic energies of several hundred eV are detected in the leading edge of the plasma plumes from both targets. These energetic species are proposed to be responsible for the formation of film structures corresponding to diamond‐like carbon (DLC), as it is found from electron‐energy‐loss spectroscopy (EELS) and Raman investigations of 0.5 μm films deposited onto steel substrates. The validation of a laser wavelength/fluence region for DLC formation found earlier for graphite targets is discussed and expanded to polycarbonate targets. An increase in laser fluence leads to higher percentages of sp3 bonds in the a‐C and a‐C:H films. For the a‐C:H film...

Near‐threshold laser sputtering of gold

Abstract: This work characterizes the laser sputtering of gold by 248 nm laser pulses at near‐threshold fluences (material removal rates ≤10 A/pulse) using time‐of‐flight plume diagnostics, scanning electron microscopeanalysis of the surfacetopography, and thermal analysis of the transient near surface conditions. Pulsed laser irradiation leads to development of surfacetopography characterized by droplet and ridge formations, and to the liberation of micrometer‐sized droplets into the plume. The development of surfacetopography has been identified with a hydrodynamic response to phase change occurring at the surface of the target. Drawing upon a Rayleigh–Taylor instability description of the melt surface, the readily observable ∼5 μm periodicity in topographyformation can be theoretically predicted. Additionally, the preferential formation and liberation of ∼1 μm diameter droplets at the target surface is observed. Nevertheless, the majority of sputtered mass flux is not comprised of droplets, but of neutral gold atoms with almost perfect Boltzmann translational energy distribution. The mean translational energy of the gold atoms, however, is much too high to reconcile with a simple thermal vaporization model. The yield, translational energy, and angular characteristics of the plume are strongly influenced by the surfacetopography. Local variations in the light absorption and heat transfer explain the qualitative trends in the experimental results.

Plasma diagnostics in pulsed laser TiN layer deposition

Abstract: Time‐ and space‐resolved emission and laser‐induced fluorescence spectroscopic measurements were performed to investigate vaporization and plasma formation resulting from excimer laser irradiation of titanium targets in a low‐pressure nitrogen atmosphere. Measurement series have been done by varying the laser intensity from the vaporization threshold at 25 MW cm−2 up to values of about 500 MW cm−2 typically applied in pulsed laser deposition processing of titanium nitride films. Thus, the transition from thermal evaporation to the high‐density plasma formation process, leading to the production of reactive species and high‐energy ions, was evidenced. An interesting result for the comprehension of the reactive deposition process was the observation of a quantity of dissociated and ionized nitrogen, which is transported with the plasma front in the direction of the substrate.

Large-area pulsed laser deposition: Techniques and applications

Abstract: Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has quickly emerged as a unique tool with which to grow high quality films of complex chemical compounds. It is estimated that at present the number of different materials which have been deposited by PLD now exceeds two hundred. Scientists have used this process primarily as a laboratory tool to deposit films of various compounds that are typically difficult to synthesize by other techniques, and then quickly evaluate the relevant material properties. Deposition techniques such as ion‐beam, rf, or dc magnetron sputtering, electron‐beam evaporation, molecular beam epitaxy, chemical vapor deposition, and metal organic chemical vapor deposition, have all achieved wide‐spread acceptance as processes with which to grow various types of electronic and optical films. In order for PLD to emerge as a real production process, it must be demonstrated that PLD is capable of depositing material over useful substrate sizes with acceptable uniformity. PLD must also compete with more establ...

Thin films for optical systems

Abstract: Part 1 Coating design: thin-film optical coating design. Part 2 Deposition techniques and related topics: starting materials optical monitoring reactive physical vapor deposition processes ion assisted deposition ion beam sputtering plasma impulse chemical vapor deposition molecular beam deposition uniformity. Part 3 Characterization techniques: spectrophotometric methods for refractive index determination ellipsometric measurements characterization of absorption by photothermal deflection light scattering from multilayer optics guided wave techniques mechanical properties of optical thin films. Part 4 Applications: graded coatings damage-resistant laser coatings thin-film optical coatings for optoelectronic devices.

Processing and properties of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 thin films by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract: In situ thin films of (1−x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3, (PMN‐PT), with composition x=0.1, 0.3, 0.35, and 0.4, were deposited on MgO(100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The optimum conditions to form (100) oriented PMN‐PT perovskite phase were at substrate temperatures in the range of 535 to 575 °C with an oxygen pressure of 200 mTorr. The Mg content in PMN‐PT films was found to be essential to the formation of perovskite phase. Heterostructures of PMN‐PT/La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (LSCO) films were prepared on MgO(100) substrates to evaluate the dielectric properties of the films. The dielectric constant of PMN and PMN‐PT films ranged from 1000 to 3800 at 10 kHz measured at room temperature. The highest dielectric constant was obtained from PMN films with 99% perovskite phase.

Crystallographic orientation of epitaxial BaTiO3 films: The role of thermal‐expansion mismatch with the substrate

Abstract: Expitaxial ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films have been grown on (001) MgO and MgO‐buffered (001) GaAs substrates by pulsed laser deposition to explore the effect of substrate lattice parameter. X‐ray‐diffraction studies showed that the BaTiO3 films on both MgO single‐crystal substrates and MgO‐buffered (001) GaAs substrates have a cube‐on‐cube epitaxy; however, for the BaTiO3 films grown on MgO the spacing of the planes parallel to the substrate was close to the c‐axis dimension of the unconstrained tetragonal phase, whereas the BaTiO3 films on MgO/GaAs exhibited a spacing closer to the a‐axis dimension of the unconstrained tetragonal phase. The cube‐on‐cube epitaxy was maintained through the heterostructures even when thin epitaxial intermediate buffer layers of SrTiO3 and La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 were used. The intermediate layers had no effect on the position of the BaTiO3 peak in θ‐2θ scans. Together, these observations indicate that, for the materials combinations studied, it is the thermal‐expansion mismatch be...

Method for the deposition and modification of thin films using a combination of vacuum arcs and plasma immersion ion implantation

Abstract: Cathodic/anodic vacuum arc sources with plasma ion implantation deposition system for depositing high quality thin film coatings of complex compounds on a workpiece. Both cathodic and anodic vacuum arc deposition sources, CAVAD, are used to create a plasma vapor from solid materials composing the cathode and/or anode in the cathodic and/or anodic arc respectively. Gases, e.g., hydrogen or nitrogen can be in the deposited films by creating a background plasma of the desired gas using either RF energy, thermionic emission, or consequential ionization of the gas passing through the arc or around the substrate. Application of highly negative pulses to the substrate to extract the ions and provide them with the appropriate energy to interact with the other species in the thin film formation on the substrate to form the desired films. The substrate is bombarded with the ionized particles to form carbon nitrides with variable [N]/[C] ratios, referred to as CNx.

Pulsed laser deposition of BaTiO3 thin films and their optical properties

Abstract: Highly oriented a‐axis BaTiO3 thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on (001) MgO substrates. The full width at half‐maximum of the (200) BaTiO3 rocking curve was as narrow as 0.6°. A large hysteretic quadratic electro‐optic effect was observed in a transverse geometry at 6328 A. A birefringence shift up to 3×10−3 was measured at an applied dc electric field of 1 kV/mm. It was found that laser repetition rate plays an important role on the surface morphology of the deposited films.

Room-Temperature Epitaxial Growth of CeO2 Thin Films on Si(111) Substrates for Fabrication of Sharp Oxide/Silicon Interface

Abstract: Room-temperature (20° C) epitaxy of high-melting point CeO2 thin films was achieved for the first time on Si(111) substrates. Cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and ion scattering spectroscopy confirmed the formation of a sharp oxide/silicon heterointerface with no boundary amorphous layer and single crystallinity of the present CeO2 films. This was achieved by pulsed laser deposition in an ultrahigh vacuum under optimized oxygen partial pressures and by hydrogen termination of the Si surface.