Creating Ruddlesden-Popper phases by hybrid molecular beam epitaxy

Journal Article · Mon Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4959180· OSTI ID:22594446

Haislmaier, Ryan C.; Stone, Greg; Alem, Nasim; Engel-Herbert, Roman ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States)

The synthesis of a 50 unit cell thick n = 4 Sr{sub n+1}Ti{sub n}O{sub 3n+1} (Sr{sub 5}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 13}) Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) phase film is demonstrated by sequentially depositing SrO and TiO{sub 2} layers in an alternating fashion using hybrid molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), where Ti was supplied using titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP). A detailed calibration procedure is outlined for determining the shuttering times to deposit SrO and TiO{sub 2} layers with precise monolayer doses using in-situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) as feedback. Using optimized Sr and TTIP shuttering times, a fully automated growth of the n = 4 RP phase was carried out over a period of >4.5 h. Very stable RHEED intensity oscillations were observed over the entire growth period. The structural characterization by X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed that a constant periodicity of four SrTiO{sub 3} perovskite unit cell blocks separating the double SrO rocksalt layer was maintained throughout the entire film thickness with a very little amount of planar faults oriented perpendicular to the growth front direction. These results illustrate that hybrid MBE is capable of layer-by-layer growth with atomic level precision and excellent flux stability.

• OSTI ID: 22594446
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 109, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CALIBRATION
DEPOSITS
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
FILMS
LAYERS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MOLECULAR BEAMS
NITRATES
PERIODICITY
PEROVSKITE
REFLECTION
SHUTTERS
STRONTIUM OXIDES
STRONTIUM TITANATES
THICKNESS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION