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Strain relaxation defects in perovskite oxide superlattices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2012

Meng Gu ,
Michael D. Biegalski ,
Hans M. Christen ,
Chengyu Song ,
Craig R. Dearden ,
Nigel D. Browning  and
Yayoi Takamura
Meng Gu
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California–Davis, Davis, California 95616
Michael D. Biegalski
Affiliation:
Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831
Hans M. Christen
Affiliation:
Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831
Chengyu Song
Affiliation:
National Center for Electron Microscopy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720
Craig R. Dearden
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California–Davis, Davis, California 95616
Nigel D. Browning
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California–Davis, Davis, California95616; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California–Davis, Davis, California 95616
Yayoi Takamura*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California–Davis, Davis, California 95616
*
b)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper reports on the defect structures formed upon strain relaxation in pulsed laser-deposited complex oxide superlattices consisting of the ferromagnetic metal, La0.67Sr0.33MnO3, and the antiferromagnetic insulator, La0.67Sr0.33FeO3. Atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and chemistry of the defects. For thinner superlattices, strain relaxation occurs through the formation of 2-D stacking faults, whereas for thicker superlattices, the prolonged thermal exposure during film growth leads to the formation of nanoflowers and cracks/pinholes to reduce the overall strain energy.

Keywords

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS)Defects
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 27 , Issue 11 , 14 June 2012 , pp. 1436 - 1444
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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