Fluorination of Epitaxial Thin Films of Functional Metal Oxides

The goal of this project is to investigate the effects of incorporating fluorine into epitaxial thin films of functional metal oxides including Lanthanum Calcium Manganese Oxide (LCMO), Calcium Manganese Oxide (CMO), and Strontium Titanate (STO), with emphasis on electrical resistivity and structural changes. Electrical resistivity is a property of interest for many technical applications of these advanced and emerging materials. Fluorination of similar perovskite oxide materials including SrFeO_3-d in thin films has yielded many interesting results. These results include altering the crystal structures and altering the electrical properties. Fluorine alters the anionic composition of these materials thus providing a way for extending the range of functional properties realizable. Fluorine introduction has the potential for charge doping the materials and altering the cation valence states. This would lead to changing structural order and symmetry through ionic size differences in the cation, and changes in the charge carrier concentration and mobility.