Epitaxial growth of a homogeneous anatase TiO2 thin film on LaAlO3 (0 0 1) using a solvothermal method with anticorrosive ligands

TiO2 is one of the most extensively investigated oxides owing to its numerous potential applications. However, most methods reported for the growth of epitaxial thin films of anatase TiO2 are costly and laborious. In this study, a solvothermal method being simple and inexpensive was used for epitaxial growth of anatase TiO2 thin films on a LaAlO3 substrate. Solvothermal methods usually use highly acidic conditions to stabilize Ti ions in water. The acids used tend to corrode the substrate. Hence, acetylacetone was used as a stabilizer to grow epitaxial thin films. The fabricated epitaxial thin film had the orientation of (0 0 1) [1 0 0] TiO2 || (0 0 1) [1 0 0] LaAlO3 with 2.5 μm thickness. The fabricated thin film can be used as applications such as photocatalysts, electrodes, and optical devices. Substitution of Ti atom with dopant atom was clarified using X-ray fluorescence holography.