Microstructure and optical properties of ZrO₂ thin films on LiB3O5

Using an electron beam evaporation technique.ZrO2 thin films were deposited on three kinds of Lithium triborate (LiB305 or LBO) substrates with three different crystalline orientations. The influences of LBO structure on the microstructure and optical properties of ZrO2 thin films were studied by spectrophotometer and X-ray diffraction. The results indicate that the substrate structure has an obvious effect on the microstructure and optical property of the film, namely, the ZrO2 thin film deposited on the X-LBO, Y-LBO and Z-LBO oriented along m(－212), m(021) and o(130) directions. It is also found that the ZrO2 thin film with m(021) has the highest refractive index and the least lattice misfit．