Metal Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition (MOCVD) for synthesis of complex oxides

The versatile equipment will serve several research activities. With respect to materials chemistry, MOCVD will be a crucial method for extending synthesis capabilities beyond the present deposition methods, in particular bridging the gap in film thicknes s that is provided by the ALCVD and sol-gel methods. The main aim will be growth of films of functional materials, e.g. electroceramics (ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, multiferroics), magnetic materials (CMR), materials for photovoltaics and materials fo r selective membranes. The synergies involved by using similar types of precursors for the reactions, will help efficient and advanced use of the equipment. The equipment will be of direct importance for started activities on oxides for energy technolog y and oxides for ICT. E.g. for developing use of wide band gap semiconductors in energy conversion, high quality films of materials like ZnO is required. The applications of MOCVD grown materials of sufficient quality is manifold; ranging from solar cells , blue and UV emission and detection, surface acoustics wave devices for communication systems. Thin films of electroceramics will have numerous applications depending on the deposited material, and range from electric field insulators, data storage mater ials, and actuators to sensors for pressure, magnetic field and different gases. Another example is growth of oxide films for proton conduction and membrane purposes. Such materials are of interest for fuel cells and gas separation. Here MOCVD will be use d for growing dense layers on porous membranes, for growing membranes of new materials, as well to obtain alternative control of microstructure growth.