Electronic structure of compressively strained bilayer nickelate

Since the initial discovery of superconductivity in the Ruddlesden-Popper phases of bulk nickelates under high pressure, a major topic of discussion has been the identity of the key superconducting bands. The recent stabilization of superconductivity at ambient pressure in compressively strained bilayer nickelate thin films has now enabled detailed electronic structure characterization. In this talk, I will present our oxide MBE synthesis of compressively strained (La,Pr)₃Ni₂O₇ thin films, stabilized through a combination of isovalent Pr substitution and growth optimization. I will also report on their electronic structure characterized via in situ ARPES, with an emphasis on thickness, oxidation treatment, and photon energy dependence.