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Control of Structural Distortions in Transition‐Metal Oxide Films through Oxygen Displacement at the Heterointerface
Author(s) -
Aso Ryotaro,
Kan Daisuke,
Shimakawa Yuichi,
Kurata Hiroki
Publication year - 2014
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.201303521
Subject(s) - materials science , tetragonal crystal system , heterojunction , scanning transmission electron microscopy , oxide , octahedron , condensed matter physics , monoclinic crystal system , atom (system on chip) , nanotechnology , crystallography , transmission electron microscopy , optoelectronics , crystal structure , chemistry , physics , metallurgy , embedded system , computer science
Structural distortions in the oxygen octahedral network in transition‐metal oxides play crucial roles in yielding a broad spectrum of functional properties, and precise control of such distortions is a key for developing future oxide‐based electronics. Here, it is shown that the displacement of apical oxygen atom shared between the octahedra at the heterointerface is a determining parameter for these distortions and consequently for control of structural and electronic phases of a strained oxide film. The present analysis by complementary annular dark‐ and bright‐field imaging in aberration‐corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals that structural phase differences in strained monoclinic and tetragonal SrRuO 3 films grown on GdScO 3 substrates result from relaxation of the octahedral tilt, associated with changes in the in‐plane displacement of the apical oxygen atom at the heterointerface. It is further demonstrated that octahedral distortions and magnetrotransport properties of the SrRuO 3 films can be controlled by interface engineering of the oxygen displacement. This provides a further degree of freedom for manipulating structural and electronic properties in strained films, allowing the design of novel oxide‐based heterostructures.