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Nanostructure of a vicinal surface of SrTiO{sub 3}: Order on two length scales

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
; ;  [1]; ; ;  [2]
  1. European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, F-38043 Grenoble (France)
  2. Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain)
Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction, combined with low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy shows that annealed SrTiO{sub 3}(103) surfaces exhibit regular nanostructures on two length scales with shorter ({approx}1.2 nm) ripples bunching to longer ({approx}7.4 nm) waves, corresponding to six SrTiO{sub 3}(103) unit cells. The surface, wavy in the [100] direction, exhibits SrO and TiO{sub 2} terminated 'steps'. Lateral relaxations along the [010] direction of the unit cell lead to a weak (1x2) reconstruction. Electrostatic forces are thought to be responsible for the observed surface morphology.
OSTI ID:
20853893
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Journal Issue: 20 Vol. 74; ISSN 1098-0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English