Epitaxially grown single-crystalline SrTiO3 membranes using a solution-processed, amorphous SrCa2Al2O6 sacrificial layer
Water-soluble sacrificial layers based on epitaxially grown, single crystalline (Ca, Sr, Ba)3Al2O6 layers are widely used for creating free-standing perovskite oxide membranes. However, obtaining these sacrificial layers with intricate stoichiometry remains a challenge, especially for molecular beam...
| Autores: | , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión aceptada para publicación |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2024 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:digital.csic.es:10261/370587 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/370587 https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85202684084 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Molecular beam epitaxy Solution processing Membranes SrTiO3 SrCa2Al2O6 |
| Sumario: | Water-soluble sacrificial layers based on epitaxially grown, single crystalline (Ca, Sr, Ba)3Al2O6 layers are widely used for creating free-standing perovskite oxide membranes. However, obtaining these sacrificial layers with intricate stoichiometry remains a challenge, especially for molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). In this study, we demonstrate the hybrid MBE growth of epitaxial, single crystalline SrTiO3 films using a solution processed, amorphous SrCa2Al2O6 sacrificial layer onto SrTiO3 (001) substrates. Prior to the growth, oxygen plasma exposure was used to first create the crystalline SrCa2Al2O6 layer with well-defined surface crystallinity. Utilizing reflection high energy electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy, we observe an atomic layer-by-layer growth of epitaxial, single crystalline SrTiO3 films on the SrCa2Al2O6 layer with atomically smooth surfaces. The SrCa2Al2O6 layer was subsequently dissolved in deionized water to create free-standing SrTiO3 membranes that were transferred onto a metal-coated Si wafer. Membranes created with Sr-deficiency revealed ferroelectric-like behavior measured using piezo-force microscopy whereas stoichiometric films retained paraelectric-like behavior. These findings underscore the viability of using ex situ deposited amorphous SrCa2Al2O6 for epitaxial, single crystalline growth, as well as the importance of point defects in determining the ferroic properties in membranes. |
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