Atomic-scale investigations of perovskite oxide heteroepitaxy

Abstract

We have developed a low-temperature, high-magnetic-field scanning tunneling microscope combined with pulsed laser deposition. This system enables us to study atomic-scale growth of oxide thin films. In this paper, we investigated growth-mode-controlled epitaxial SrTiO₃ (STO) and LaAlO₃ films on STO(001) single-crystal substrates. A (√13×√13)-R33.7° STO(001) substrate, prepared in oxygen atmosphere, is atomically resolved and plays a crucial role in elucidating the initial growth process. Atomic-scale microscopic approach performed in this study opens up a way to novel functionalities in oxide thin films and heterostructures.