Preparation and characterization of La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ thin film deposited by radio frequency magnetic sputtering

La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O3−δ (LSGM) electrolyte materials were synthesized by the solid state reaction method. The conductivity of LSGM materials was detected by four probe method, and it was 0.08 S/cm at 850 °C. Dense and uniform films of LSGM materials were deposited by the magnetic sputtering on substrates of Si and La0.7Sr0.3Cr0.5Mn0.5O3−δ (LSCM). The experimental results showed that the deposition rates dropped and the average grain sizes of the films enlarged with increase in the substrate temperatures. In the sputtering process, the LSGM film was deposited with preferred growth direction. After annealing, the preferred growth direction disappeared and the film surface became smoother and denser. Through observing the deposition process, deposition mechanism was proposed, which was consistent with a model of island growth.