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Controlling Interface Intermixing and Properties of SrTiO 3 ‐Based Superlattices
Author(s) -
Mizoguchi Teruyasu,
Ohta Hiromichi,
Lee HakSung,
Takahashi Nobuaki,
Ikuhara Yuichi
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201100230
Subject(s) - superlattice , materials science , atomic units , condensed matter physics , vacancy defect , layer (electronics) , nanoscopic scale , doping , chemical physics , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , physics , quantum mechanics
By combining state‐of‐the‐art microscopy, spectrosccopy, and first‐principles calculations, atomic‐scale intermixing behavior at heterointerfaces in SrTiO 3 ‐based superlattices is investigated. It is found that Nb is confined to a unit‐cell thickness without intermixing, whereas Ba diffuses only to the adjoining Nb‐doped SrTiO 3 layer. It is revealed that the intermixing behaviors at the heterointerfaces are determined by not only the migration energy, but also by the vacancy‐formation energy and the Fermi energy of each layer. Based on these results, we find a method to control the atomic‐scale intermixing at the nonpolar heterointerfaces and clearly demonstrate the property improvements obtained by constructing an abrupt heterointerface.