Use of yttria-stabilised zirconia substrates for zinc oxide mediated epitaxial lift-off of superior yttria-stabilised zirconia thin films

ZnO layers were grown on (100) and (111) oriented YSZ substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). X-ray diffraction studies revealed growth of wurtzite ZnO with strong preferential (0002) orientation. The ZnO layer on YSZ (111) showed distinct Pendellosung fringes and a more pronounced c-axis orientation (rocking curve of 0.08°). Atomic force microscopy revealed RMS roughnesses of 0.7 and 2.2nm for the ZnO on the YSZ (111) and YSZ (100), respectively. YSZ was then grown on the ZnO buffered YSZ (111) substrate by PLD. XRD revealed that the YSZ overlayer grew with a strong preferential (111) orientation. The YSZ/ZnO/YSZ (111) top surface was temporary bonded to an Apiezon wax carrier and the sample was immersed in 0.1M HCl so as to preferentially etch/dissolve away the ZnO underlayer and release the YSZ from the substrate. XRD revealed only the characteristic (111) peak of YSZ after lift-off and thus confirmed both the dissolution of the ZnO and the preservation of the crystallographic integrity of the YSZ on the wax carrier. Optical and Atomic Force Microscopy revealed some buckling, roughening and cracking of the lifted YSZ, however. XRD suggested that this may have been due to compressive epitaxial strain release.