Influence of oxygen flow on crystallization and morphology of LiNbO3 thin films

Polymeric precursor solution (Pechini method) was used to deposit LiNbO3 thin films by spin-coating on (100) silicon substrates. X-ray diffraction data of thin films showed that the increase of oxygen flow promotes a preferred orientation of (001) LiNbO3 planes parallel to the substrate surface. Surface roughness and grain size, observed by atomic force microscopy, change also with oxygen flow.