The Ehrlich–Schwoebel barrier on an oxide surface: a combined Monte-Carlo and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy approach
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
The controlled growth of epitaxial films of complex oxides requires an atomistic understanding of key parameters determining final film morphology, such as termination dependence on adatom diffusion, and height of the Ehrlich–Schwoebel (ES) barrier. In this study, through an in situ scanning tunneling microscopy study of mixed-terminated La5/8Ca3/8MnO3 (LCMO) films, we image adatoms and observe pile-up at island edges. Image analysis allows determination of the population of adatoms at the edge of islands and fractions on A-site and B-site terminations. A simple Monte-Carlo model, simulating the random walk of adatoms on a sinusoidal potential landscape using Boltzmann statistics is used to reproduce the experimental data, and provides an estimate of the ES barrier as ~0.18 ± 0.04 eV at T = 1023 K, similar to those of metal adatoms on metallic surfaces. In conclusion, these studies highlight the utility of in situ imaging, in combination with basic Monte-Carlo methods, in elucidating the factors which control the final film growth in complex oxides.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1311253
- Journal Information:
- Nanotechnology, Vol. 26, Issue 45; ISSN 0957-4484
- Publisher:
- IOP Publishing
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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