Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Thin Film: Electrochemical Synthesis and Characterization

A novel method based on the cathodic electrochemical synthesis was developed for the preparation of thin film yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) from ethanol and water medium. First, hydroxide precursor was deposited from the mixture of YCl3 and AlCl3 solutions. To obtain final YAG product, the deposited hydroxide was heat treated at 1100°C for 4 h in dry air atmosphere. Mechanism of oxide formation during calcination was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (DSC-TGA). Furthermore a mechanism of hydroxide precursor formation during cathodic deposition was proposed based on the possible cathodic reaction. The formation of crystalline YAG nanopowder was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that cathodic electrodeposition followed by heat-treatment can be recognized a facile for preparation of thin film YAG compounds.