To expand my thin-film deposition capabilities, I began developing custom perovskite sputter targets from powdered precursors. I started by combining the powders in a polymer vial along with milling beads and ball milling them to achieve a uniform, fine-grained mixture. This process ensured a more homogeneous composition across the final target.
With the targets mounted in the RF magnetron sputtering system, I performed several deposition runs to evaluate sputter performance and film uniformity. The resulting thin films were imaged using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), where I observed uniform surface coverage and was able to estimate the deposited film thickness.
Next Steps:
I plan to electrically characterize these sputtered films through sheet resistance measurements using a four-point probe, followed by impedance spectroscopy to study their frequency-dependent response and charge transport behavior. These results will help connect the fabrication process to the material’s electrical performance and guide optimization of future target compositions.