X-ray diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure study of epitaxial mixed ternary bixbyite Pr{sub x}Y{sub 2-x}O{sub 3} (x = 0-2) films on Si (111)

Journal Article · Mon Jan 28 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4788982· OSTI ID:22102239

Niu, G.; Zoellner, M. H.; Zaumseil, P. ^[1]; Pouliopoulos, A. ^[2]; D'Acapito, F. ^[3]; Schroeder, T. ^[1]; Boscherini, F. ^[2]

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1. IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, viale C. BertiPichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna (Italy)
3. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Officina dei Materiali, Operative Group in Grenoble, c/o European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, B.P. 220, 38043 Grenoble (France)

Ternary single crystalline bixbyite Pr{sub x}Y{sub 2-x}O{sub 3} films over the full stoichiometry range (x = 0-2) have been epitaxially grown on Si (111) with tailored electronic and crystallographic structure. In this work, we present a detailed study of their local atomic environment by extended X-ray absorption fine structure at both Y K and Pr L{sub III} edges, in combination with complementary high resolution x-ray diffraction measurements. The local structure exhibits systematic variations as a function of the film composition. The cation coordination in the second and third coordination shells changes with composition and is equal to the average concentration, implying that the Pr{sub x}Y{sub 2-x}O{sub 3} films are indeed fully mixed and have a local bixbyite structure with random atomic-scale ordering. A clear deviation from the virtual crystal approximation for the cation-oxygen bond lengths is detected. This demonstrates that the observed Vegard's law for the lattice variation as a function of composition is based microscopically on a more complex scheme related to local structural distortions which accommodate the different cation-oxygen bond lengths.

• OSTI ID: 22102239
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 113; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
APPROXIMATIONS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
FILMS
FINE STRUCTURE
LAYERS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MONOCRYSTALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRASEODYMIUM COMPOUNDS
STOICHIOMETRY
VEGARD LAW
X RADIATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS