Zirconia films were fabricated via the sol-gel dip-coating of monocrystalline MgO (001) substrates. Continuous polycrystalline 40nm-thick layers of tetragonal zirconia were obtained by firing at 600C. At higher temperatures, abnormal grain growth, substrate uncovering and film break-up into islands were observed. At 1300C, monocrystalline islands of tetragonal MgO-ZrO2 solid solution appeared to grow heteroepitaxially on the MgO(001) substrate, as verified by X-ray rocking curve results for (001) zirconia planes and phi-scanning of (113) planes. Semi-coherent magnesia/zirconia interfaces were faceted, and the large mismatch was accommodated by ordered misfit dislocation networks; as imaged by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Residual micro-deformation of the MgO substrate was reflected by an increased full-width at half-maximum of the rocking-curve measured on the (001) peak of the substrate.

Sol-Gel Fabrication of Heteroepitaxial Zirconia Films on MgO(001) Substrates. R.Guinebretière, A.Dauger, O.Masson, B.Soulestin: Philosophical Magazine A, 1999, 79[7], 1517-31