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Interfacial intermixing in Sr R u O 3 / P r 0.7 C a 0.3 M n O 3 epitaxial superlattices: A HAADF ‐ STEM study (Phys. Status Solidi A 3∕2014)
Author(s) -
Hillebrand Reinald,
Pippel Eckhard,
Vrejoiu Ionela,
Hesse Dietrich
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201470217
Subject(s) - superlattice , annealing (glass) , materials science , transmission electron microscopy , analytical chemistry (journal) , pulsed laser deposition , ferroelectricity , crystallography , thin film , mineralogy , chemistry , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , composite material , chromatography , dielectric
Perovskite superlattices show a large variety of useful physicalproperties, like (anti)ferromagnetism, (anti)ferroelectricity, superconductivity and multiferroicity. These properties may strongly depend on the interface morphology. In the article by Reinald Hillebrand et al. (see pp. 536–542 ), high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron micrographs (HAADF‐STEM) of SrRuO 3 /Pr 0.7 Ca 0.3 MnO 3 (SRO/PCMO) superlattices are interpreted quantitatively. The superlattices were fabricated by pulsed‐laser deposition (PLD). The growth was performed at a temperature of 650 °C and in an oxygen partial pressure of 0.14 mbar. The images were taken in the probe‐corrected (c s = 0) FEI microscope TITAN 80‐300 at 300 kV. The experimental studies have been substantially supported by image simulations. The specimen thickness is estimated by comparing experimental and simulated Z‐contrast ratios. The quantitative image analyses proved that the intermixing at the interfaces is different for the growth of SRO on PCMO and that of PCMO on SRO. In addition, the thermal stability of SRO/PCMO superlattices is studied, based on a series of annealing experiments up to 1200 °C.