| This PhD thesis presents the work on specific complex oxides and rare earth manganite thin films which were characterized mainly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The scientific results are divided in two main parts: the first part is devoted to the complex oxide films and the second to the rare earth manganite films.;I. Complex oxides: The compositional influence of Cr, Al and Y on the microstructure of Mg-Cr-O, Mg-Al-O, Mg-Y-0 and Y-Al-O films synthesized by a reactive magnetron sputtering technique is reported. The study was based on a series of films with a range of compositions (metal ratios) deposited on Si substrates (without external substrate heating). The film thickness is about 1 μm (±200 nm).;The effect of high temperatures (973 K to 1223 K) on the microstructural evolution of Mg-AlO, Mg-Cr-O and Y-Al-O films with specific metal ratios is also reported.;II. Rare Earth Manganite Films: The microstructure and defect characterisation of hexagonal ReMnO3 (Re=Y, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er) thin films and multilayers is reported. The effect of off-stoichiometry on the microstructure of some hexagonal ReMnO3 (Re=Er, Dy and Ho) films with specific cationic ratios is also discussed. These thin films and multilayers were deposited on (111) YSZ and (111) Pt/TiO2/SiO 2/Si (stack) substrates by liquid injection metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD). The thickness of the films and multilayers is between 10 nm and 500 nm. |
