Low temperature growth of nanocrystalline Fe2TiO5 perovskite thin films by sol-gel process assisted by microwave irradiation

Nanocrystalline Fe2TiO5 thin films have been grown on Si (1 0 0) at room temperature by using simple, cost effective sol-gel process assisted by microwave irradiation for thermal treatment. For comparison purpose the deposited films have been subjected to two kinds of annealing treatments: first set by using conventional annealing and second set by irradiating the deposited films at different microwave powers for 10 min. In both treated films, formation of orthorhombic phase of Fe2TiO5 structure has been observed. It is evident that there is a dramatic structural modification when the deposited films are exposed to microwave. There was slight stoichiometric change of Fe2TiO5 thin films treated by conventional annealing and microwave annealing. Microwave exposed films have shown 47% of Fe, 6% of Ti and 47% of O in the films of the Fe2TiO5, whereas annealed films have shown close to the stoichiometry in Fe2TiO5 with 30% of Fe, 14% of Ti and 56% of O. Plausible mechanism for the formation of nanocrystalline orthorhombic phase of Fe2TiO5 perovskite structure at low microwave powers has also been discussed. This new innovative microwave heating could open a door for the advanced nanotechnologies to cut down the process cost in post treatment of the nanomaterials. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.