Effect of pulsed electrical field on deposition of YSZ thin films in an aqueous solution

In this study we investigated YSZ thin film deposition from an aqueous solution by applying constant electrical field and the effect of a pulsed electrical field upon the growth condition of films. The precursor was an aqueous solution of Zr(NO₂)₃-2H₂O, Y(NO ₃)3-6H₂O, and 0.5 vol% NH₃(aq). The thin film was deposited on the minus electrode side of the glass substrate, which was placed above the minus electrode with a gap distance of 48-530 μm. By applying the electrical field, the thin film was effectively deposited on glass substrates under an applied voltage of 2.5 V for 300 s at room temperature. The as-deposited film was amorphous, and a crystalline phase with a transparent and smooth surface can be obtained after annealing at 773 K for 3 h in air. When a pulse bias is applied to the electrical field, the film thickness, surface defects, and roughness were changed with the frequency. At 2 Hz, the film was fabricated effectively, and a thick film was obtained, but films with smoother and fewer defect surfaces were obtained in a range of about 10-100Hz.