I deposited the thin films of MgTiO3 using RF sputtering onto quartz substrate. After XRD analysis of thin films and sputtering target (home made), it is observed that the lattice parameters of films are smaller than the Sputtering target. Please help me to find the reason.
The value of the measured AVERAGE lattice parameter is affected by :
1- The type of the interface between the substrate and the film. The lattice parameters may increase or decrease to accommodate the mismatch in the lattice parameters of the substrate and the film.
2- The surface tension of the film, it increases the lattice parameters in and near to the surface of the film.
3- The thickness of the film, when the thickness increases the effect of above factors is reduced.
4- The process parameters including T and P.
Growth process affect the lattice constant of material. Thin film growth is totally a different procedure so lattice constant will change and also film's growth depends on substrate on which it is growing. In your case quartz and MgTiO3 have different lattice constant. So, due to this lattice mismatch the lattice constant of MgTiO3 will be affected.
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