Nanoscale monoclinic domains in epitaxial SrRuO{sub 3} thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition
- National Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor105 bis, 077125 Magurele (Romania)
In this paper, we analyze the structural distortions observed by transmission electron microscopy in thin epitaxial SrRuO{sub 3} layers used as bottom electrodes in multiferroic coatings onto SrTiO{sub 3} substrates for future multiferroic devices. Regardless of the nature and architecture of the multilayer oxides deposited on the top of the SrRuO{sub 3} thin films, selected area electron diffraction patterns systematically revealed the presence of faint diffraction spots appearing in forbidden positions for the SrRuO{sub 3} orthorhombic structure. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) combined with Geometric Phase Analysis (GPA) evidenced the origin of these forbidden diffraction spots in the presence of structurally disordered nanometric domains in the SrRuO{sub 3} bottom layers, resulting from a strain-driven phase transformation. The local high compressive strain (−4% ÷ −5%) measured by GPA in the HRTEM images induces a local orthorhombic to monoclinic phase transition by a cooperative rotation of the RuO{sub 6} octahedra. A further confirmation of the origin of the forbidden diffraction spots comes from the simulated diffraction patterns obtained from a monoclinic disordered SrRuO{sub 3} structure.
- OSTI ID:
- 22308722
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 2; 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
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
COATINGS
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
EPITAXY
LASER RADIATION
LAYERS
MONOCLINIC LATTICES
NANOSTRUCTURES
ORTHORHOMBIC LATTICES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PRESSURE RANGE GIGA PA
RUTHENIUM COMPOUNDS
SIMULATION
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
STRONTIUM TITANATES
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY