Non-conducting interfaces of LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} produced in sputter deposition: The role of stoichiometry

Journal Article · Mon Mar 25 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4798828· OSTI ID:22162807

Dildar, I. M.; Boltje, D. B.; Hesselberth, M. H. S.; Aarts, J. ^[1]; Xu, Q.; Zandbergen, H. W. ^[2]; Harkema, S. ^[3]

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1. Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratorium, Leiden University, Leiden (Netherlands)
2. National Centre for High Resolution Microscopy, Kavli Institute for Nanoscience, Delft Technical University, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft (Netherlands)
3. Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)

We have investigated the properties of interfaces between LaAlO{sub 3} films grown on SrTiO{sub 3} substrates singly terminated by TiO{sub 2}. We used RF sputtering in a high-pressure oxygen atmosphere. The films are smooth, with flat surfaces. Transmission electron microscopy shows sharp and continuous interfaces with some slight intermixing. The elemental ratio of La to Al, measured by the energy dispersive X-ray technique, is found to be 1.07. Importantly, we find these interfaces to be non-conducting, indicating that the sputtered interface is not electronically reconstructed in the way reported for films grown by pulsed laser deposition because of the different interplays among stoichiometry, mixing, and oxygen vacancies.

• OSTI ID: 22162807
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 102; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALUMINATES
ATMOSPHERES
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
FILMS
INTERFACES
LANTHANUM COMPOUNDS
LASER RADIATION
MIXING
OXYGEN
PULSED IRRADIATION
SPUTTERING
STOICHIOMETRY
STRONTIUM TITANATES
SUBSTRATES
SURFACES
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
VACANCIES
X RADIATION