Surface and interface properties of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 thin films on SrTiO3 (001)

Chen, Lina; Wang, Zhen; Wang, Gaomin; Guo, Hangwen; Saghayezhian, Mohammad; Liao, Zhaoliang; Zhu, Yimei; Plummer, E. W.; Zhang, Jiandi

doi:10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.3.044407

Surface and interface properties of $L a_{2 / 3} S r_{1 / 3} Mn O_{3}$ thin films on ${SrTiO}_{3}$ (001)

Journal Article · Mon Apr 22 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Physical Review Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.3.044407· OSTI ID:1529072

Chen, Lina ^[1]; Wang, Zhen ^[2]; Wang, Gaomin ^[3]; Guo, Hangwen ^[4]; Saghayezhian, Mohammad ^[3]; Liao, Zhaoliang ^[5]; ^[6]; Plummer, E. W. ^[3]; Zhang, Jiandi ^[3]

Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States); Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (People's Republic of China)
Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States); Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States)
Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States); Fudan Univ., Shanghai (People's Republic of China)
Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States); Univ. of Science and Technology of China Hefei, Anhui (People's Republic of China)
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Understanding and manipulating properties emerging at a surface or an interface require a thorough knowledge of structure-property relationships. We report a study of a prototype oxide system, La_2/3Sr_1/3MnO₃ grown on SrTiO₃(001), by combining in situ angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ex situ x-ray diffraction, and scanning transmission electron microscopy/spectroscopy with electric transport measurements. We find that La_2/3Sr_1/3MnO₃ films thicker than 20 unit cells (u.c.) exhibit a universal behavior with no more than one u.c. intermixing at the interface but at least 3 u.c. of Sr segregation near the surface, which is (La/Sr)O terminated. The conductivity vs film thickness shows the existence of nonmetallic layers with thickness ~6.5±0.9u.c., which is independent of film thickness but mainly relates to the deviation of Sr concentration near the surface region. Below 20 u.c., the surface of the films appears mixed, (La/Sr)O with MnO₂ termination. Decreasing film thickness to less than 10 u.c. leads to the enhanced deviation of chemical composition in the films and eventually drives the film insulating. Finally, our observation offers a natural explanation for the thickness-driven metal-nonmetal transition in thin films based on the variation of film stoichiometry.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-98CH10886; SC0002136; SC0012704

OSTI ID:: 1529072

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1508190

Report Number(s):: BNL--211778-2019-JAAM

Journal Information:: Physical Review Materials, Journal Name: Physical Review Materials Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 3; ISSN PRMHAR; ISSN 2475-9953

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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