title: Structural studies of pulsed-laser deposited nanocomposite metal-oxide films.
abstract: Pulsed laser deposition in vacuum has been used to develop metal-oxide nanocomposite films with well controlled structural quality. Results for the copper-aluminium oxide (Cu:Al2O3) system are used to illustrate the main morphological and structural features of these films. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis shows that the films consist of Cu nanocrystals with average dimensions that can be controlled between 2 nm and 10 nm embedded in an amorphous Al2O3 matrix. It is observed that the in-plane shape of the nanocrystals evolves from circular to elongated, and the number of nanocrystals per unit area decreases as their size increases. This evolution is explained in terms of nucleation at the substrate surface and coalescence during the later stages of growth. The thermal stability of the films has been studied by in situ TEM annealing and no transformation could be observed up to about 800 degrees C when partial crystallization of the Al2O3 starts.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Optica, CSIC, Serrano 121, 28006 Madrid, Spain; Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3PH, U.K.; School of Engineering, Pevensey Building, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QH, U.K.
authors.forename: R.
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serna
authors.forename: J.
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonzalo
authors.forename: A.
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suárez-García
authors.forename: C. N.
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Afonso
authors.forename: J. P.
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: A. K.
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Petford-Long
authors.forename: R. C.
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Doole
authors.forename: D.
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hole