Homoepitaxial Alignment of SrTiO3 Thin Films Prepared by Metallo-Organic Decomposition.

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe demonstrate the homoepitaxial growth of SrTiO3 prepared by the method of metallo-organic decomposition (MOD). Thin films of SrTiO3 are prepared by spin-coating and thermal decomposition of a solution of metallo-organic compounds, on single crystal, <100> oriented, SrTiO3 substrates and subsequently heat treated at temperatures ranging from 650°C to 1100°C for 30 minutes. Heat treatment at 1100°C results in the formation of single-crystal SrTiO3, perfectly aligned with respect to the underlying substrate.Ion-channeling analysis shows that the transformation to singlecrystal material proceeds epitaxially from the coating-substrate interface towards the surface of the sample. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of partially regrown samples reveal two distinct phases: an epitaxially aligned single-crystal phase, adjacent to the substrate, and a polycrystalline phase on top. On the basis of these observations, it is proposed that the crystallization of the MOD films involves the competition between two processes: layer-by-layer solid phase epitaxy and random nucleation and growth of crystallites. Layerby- layer epitaxy is the predominant crystallization mechanism unless it is inhibited by extrinsic factors like the contamination of the interface between the MOD film and the single-crystal substrate.