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Title: “Conductive” yttria-stabilized zirconia as an epitaxial template for oxide heterostructures

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4863803· OSTI ID:22273851
; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. DESY Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, 22603 Hamburg (Germany)
  2. Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany)

We report an in situ thermochemical treatment that significantly increases the macroscopic electrical conductivity of insulating yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) (001) single-crystalline substrates. We demonstrate the high-quality surface crystalline structure of the resulting “conductive” cYSZ (001) by low- and high-energy electron diffraction. Soft- and hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements reveal a sizable reduction of Zr cations to a metallic state and their homogeneous distribution within the cYSZ. We discuss the correlation between the microscopic chemical processes leading to the increased macroscopic metallicity. Finally, the heteroepitaxial growth of a functional magnetic oxide model system, ultrathin EuO on cYSZ (001), was demonstrated. cYSZ (001) thereby enables both high quality oxide heteroepitaxy and the advanced sample characterization by high electron-fluence characterization techniques.

OSTI ID:
22273851
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 17; Conference: 55. annual conference on magnetism and magnetic materials, Atlanta, GA (United States), 14-18 Nov 2010; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English