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arXiv · 1708.03089

Oxygen Partial Pressure during Pulsed Laser Deposition: Deterministic Role on Thermodynamic Stability of Atomic Termination Sequence at SrRuO3/BaTiO3 Interface

Yeong Jae Shin·Lingfei Wang·Yoonkoo Kim·Ho-Hyun Nahm Daesu Lee·Jeong Rae Kim·Sang Mo Yang·Jong-Gul Yoon·Jin-Seok Chung·Miyoung Kim·Seo Hyoung Chang·Tae Won Noh
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Abstract

With recent trends on miniaturizing oxide-based devices, the need for atomic-scale control of surface/interface structures by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has increased. In particular, realizing uniform atomic termination at the surface/interface is highly desirable. However, a lack of understanding on the surface formation mechanism in PLD has limited a deliberate control of surface/interface atomic stacking sequences. Here, taking the prototypical SrRuO3/BaTiO3/SrRuO3 (SRO/BTO/SRO) heterostructure as a model system, we investigated the formation of different interfacial termination sequences (BaO-RuO2 or TiO2-SrO) with oxygen partial pressure (PO2) during PLD. We found that a uniform SrO-TiO2 termination sequence at the SRO/BTO interface can be achieved by lowering the PO2 to 5 mTorr, regardless of the total background gas pressure (Ptotal), growth mode, or growth rate. Our results indicate that the thermodynamic stability of the BTO surface at the low-energy kinetics stage of PLD can play an important role in surface/interface termination formation. This work paves the way for realizing termination engineering in functional oxide heterostructures.

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Yeong Jae Shin, Lingfei Wang, Yoonkoo Kim, Ho-Hyun Nahm Daesu Lee, Jeong Rae Kim, Sang Mo Yang, Jong-Gul Yoon, Jin-Seok Chung, Miyoung Kim, Seo Hyoung Chang, Tae Won Noh. 2017-08-10. Oxygen Partial Pressure during Pulsed Laser Deposition: Deterministic Role on Thermodynamic Stability of Atomic Termination Sequence at SrRuO3/BaTiO3 Interface. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b07813

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