Identification of vacancy defects in a thin film perovskite oxide

D. J. Keeble, R. A. Mackie, W. Egger, B. Loewe, P. Pikart, C. Hugenschmidt, T. J. Jackson

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    51 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Vacancies are the dominant point defects in perovskite oxides, however, detecting and identifying the nature of vacancy defects in thin films remains challenging. This can be achieved using electron-beam methods but concentrations of several percent are required. Here we use a high-flux positron beam, providing high statistics positron lifetime measurements, to identify vacancies in laser ablated SrTiO3 on SrTiO3. The method is capable of subparts per million sensitivity and when combined with density-functional theory provides local structure information. The positron lifetime spectrum depth profile detects the presence of large vacancy clusters in a surface layer, a uniform distribution of Sr vacancies through the bulk of the film and resolves the interface with the substrate.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number064102
    Pages (from-to)-
    Number of pages5
    JournalPhysical Review B: Condensed matter and materials physics
    Volume81
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Feb 2010

    Keywords

    • POSITRON-ANNIHILATION
    • SRTIO3
    • FERROELECTRICITY
    • CAPACITORS
    • MODEL

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Identification of vacancy defects in a thin film perovskite oxide'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this