Synthesis and characterization of SmNiO3 thin films

Thin films of SmNiO3 were grown on LaAlO3 (012) substrates using the injection-MOCVD process, a method which has been in the past successfully applied to the growth of high-quality epitaxial oxide thin films. Our investigation of as-deposited films by X-ray diffraction allows concluding on the presence of a pure SmNiO3 phase with an epitaxial growth on the LaAlO3 substrate. It is interesting to note, that the growth of SmNiO3 films on LaAlO3 (012) leads to a non-negligible in-plane compressive stress near the interface, which possibly explains the stabilization of the SmNiO3 phase, otherwise difficult to obtain. Further to the latter results we present and discuss temperature-dependent measurements of the electric properties: an electrical transition from insulting to metallic state is observed at 520 K with a minimum resistivity of 1.3 mΩ.cm. Finally, in order to further investigate the structure of the obtained films, we have performed a first-time Raman scattering study of SmNiO3, the results are discussed in comparison to literature results obtained on NdNiO3. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)