Structural and electrical transport properties of Nb-doped TiO2 films deposited on LaAlO3 by rf sputtering

We have investigated the structural and electrical transport properties of Nb-doped TiO2 films deposited on (1 0 0) LaAlO3 substrates by rf magnetron sputtering at temperatures ranging from 873 K to 1073 K. Films deposited below 998 K are anatase, and mixed phases between anatase and rutile exist in the film grown at higher temperatures. We find that films deposited at low temperatures exhibit semiconductor behavior, while metallic conductivity is observed in the most conducting film deposited at 998 K. For this sample, compared to electron–phonon scattering mechanism, electron–phonon-impurity interference effect plays an important role in its electron transport process. Moreover, the temperature coefficient of the resistivity for the film deposited at 1073 K is negative from 2 K to 300 K. The temperature dependence of resistivity for the film is described by ∼exp(b/T)1/2 at temperatures from 80 K down to 30 K, and by the fluctuation induced tunneling model from 80 K to 300 K.