Low Temperature Epitaxial Growth of TiO2 Rutile Films by ICB Deposition and Mechanical Properties in Helium Implanted Rutile Films

ABSTRACTReactive ionized cluster beam (RICB) deposition has been used to form crystalline titanium dioxide films on various substrates. Epitaxial ruble films could be formed on Al (111) and sapphire (0001) and (1120) substrates at 450 ºC and 500 ºC , respectively. We also could grow highly oriented rutile films on Si and Ge wafers and Pt (111) and (100) pdycrystal films at 400 °C . The formation of rutile films at lower substrate temperature than 500 °C has not yet been reported to be realized by other techniques.The surface microhardness has been measured in epitaxial and polycrystal TiO2 rutile films unimplanted or implanted with 150keV He ions. The microhardness of the epitaxial films is much higher and it increases with rising dose stronger than in the case of polycrystalline films. At high doses, however, the microhardness decreases rapidly in epitaxial films. The mechanical properties of the epitaxial films are superior to those of polycrystalline films.