Low temperature preparation of BaCeO3 and Ce0.75Zr0.25O2 thin films using sol-gel processing techniques

Barium cerate, BaCeO3, powders and films were produced from sol-gel precursors. The formation of BaCeO3 was achieved by calcining the sol-gel precursors either at 800°C overnight or at 1000°C for an hour, in contrast to 1400°C overnight in conventional solid-state preparation. Films with (200) preferred orientations were obtained on SrTiO3(100) single-crystal substrates. Sol-gel precursor solution was also used to produce cerium zirconium oxide, Ce0.75Zr0.25O2, at temperatures as low as 400°C. The Ce0.75Zr0.25O2 so generated showed no structural change on heating up to 1100°C. The Ce0.75Zr0.25O2 films produced were polycrystalline.