Structural and electrical properties of lanthanum oxide thin films deposited by laser ablation

LaFeO3 thick films have been successfully tested for NO2 detection, although it is well known that thin films need less power consumption. Therefore, the aim of this work is the deposition and characterisation of LaFeO3 thin films prepared by pulsed laser ablation. The films were deposited from the ablation of a LaFeO3 target using a Nd:YAG laser. The as-deposited films resulted amorphous, although post-annealing at 700 °C turns the films crystalline. The sensitivity is analysed as a function of the working temperature. Maximum sensitivity to NOx was found at 600 °C working temperature, close to the crystallisation temperature. The film response resulted fairly slow, although its recovery time is acceptable.