Designing antiphase domain boundary by atomic controlled heterointerfaces

ORAL

Abstract

Domain boundaries are one of the most commonly observed phenomena in crystal and thin film growth. They often show random formation by nature but can have large impact on physical properties. So far, there are very limited examples to exhibit designable domain boundary arrangement. In this work, we employed a methodology to control the nucleation and growth of antiphase boundary (APB), by growing thin film oxides on top of freshly cleaved layered compound. At the cleaved surface, the step of two adjunct terraces serves a natural seeding bed to nucleate APB. Utilizing high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), we directly visualized that APBs can merge into pyramid-like shape when two steps are close. Our observation opens up a new route to design and control domain boundaries in thin film transition metal oxides.

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Authors

  • Hangwen Guo

    Louisiana State University

  • Zhen Wang

    Louisiana State University

  • Mohammad Saghayezhian

    Louisiana State University, Dep. of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA

  • Jing Tao

    Condensed Matter Physics Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • Antonio Vecchione

    National Research Council, Institute of Applied Science & Intelligent Systems (ISASI) ‘E. Caianiello’

  • Yimei Zhu

    Brookhaven National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, Brookhaven Natl Lab, BNL

  • Jiandi Zhang

    Louisiana State University (LSU), Louisiana State University, Louisiana State Univ - Baton Rouge

  • E. W. Plummer

    Louisiana State University (LSU), Louisiana State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La 70803, Louisiana State Univ - Baton Rouge