Chemical Solution Deposition of Transparent and Metallic La_0.5Sr_0.5TiO_3+x/2Films Using Topotactic Reduction

Metallic and transparent La0.5Sr0.5TiO3+x/2 films were prepared by the chemical solution deposition (CSD) method using topotactic reduction processing. The use of Si powder as the reducing agent was facile and allowed easy manipulation. It was observed that metallic (resistivity at 300 K similar to 2.43 m Omega cm) and transparent (similar to 80% transmittance at visible light) La0.5Sr0.5TiO3+x/2 films could be obtained with an annealing temperature of 900 degrees C, which was significantly lower than the hydrogen reduction temperature (similar to 1400 degrees C). The successful preparation of metallic and transparent La0.5Sr0.5TiO3+x/2 films using CSD has provided a feasible route for depositing other perovskite-structured functional layers on La0.5Sr0.5TiO3+x/2 films using this low-cost all CSD method.