Atomic Control of the SrTiO3 Crystal Surface.

Kawasaki, M; Takahashi, K; Maeda, T; Tsuchiya, R; Shinohara, M; Ishiyama, O; Yonezawa, T; Yoshimoto, M et al. · Science · 1994

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The atomically smooth SrTiO(3) (100) with steps one unit cell in height was obtained by treating the crystal surface with a pH-controlled NH(4)F-HF solution. The homoepitaxy of SrTiO(3) film on the crystal surface proceeds in a perfect layer-by-layer mode as verified by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy. Ion scattering spectroscopy revealed that the TiO(2) atomic plane terminated the as-treated clean surface and that the terminating atomic layer could be tuned to the SrO atomic plane by homooepitaxial growth. This technology provides a well-defined substrate surface for atomically regulated epitaxial growth of such perovskite oxide films as YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta).