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Title: Dynamic interface rearrangement in LaFeO 3 / n - SrTiO 3 heterojunctions

Journal Article · · Physical Review Materials
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate
  2. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate; Auburn Univ., AL (United States). Dept. of Physics

Thin-film synthesis methods that have developed over the past decades have unlocked emergent interface properties ranging from conductivity to ferroelectricity. However, our attempts to exercise precise control over interfaces are constrained by a limited understanding of growth pathways and kinetics. In this paper, we demonstrate that shuttered molecular beam epitaxy induces rearrangements of atomic planes at a polar/nonpolar junction of LaFeO3 (LFO)/n-SrTiO3 (STO) depending on the substrate termination. Surface characterization confirms that substrates with two different (TiO2 and SrO) terminations were prepared prior to LFO deposition; however, local electron-energy-loss spectroscopy measurements of the final heterojunctions show a predominantly LaO/TiO2 interfacial junction in both cases. Ab initio simulations suggest that the interfaces can be stabilized by trapping extra oxygen (in LaO/TiO2) and forming oxygen vacancies (in FeO2/SrO), which points to different growth kinetics in each case and may explain the apparent disappearance of the FeO2/SrO interface. Finally, we conclude that judicious control of deposition time scales can be used to modify growth pathways, opening new avenues to control the structure and properties of interfacial systems.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); PNNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830; PN13100/2581
OSTI ID:
1430717
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1407448
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-127972; TRN: US1802758
Journal Information:
Physical Review Materials, Vol. 1, Issue 6; ISSN 2475-9953
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 18 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (3)

Electronic Structure and Band Alignment of LaMnO 3 /SrTiO 3 Polar/Nonpolar Heterojunctions journal November 2018
Interface-based tuning of Rashba spin-orbit interaction in asymmetric oxide heterostructures with 3d electrons journal July 2019
Atomic-scale mapping of interface reconstructions in multiferroic heterostructures journal December 2018