This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51502168; No.11504227) and the Shanghai Municipal Natural Science Foundation (No.16ZR1413600).The authors gratefully thank the Instrumental Analysis Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Ma-tek analytical lab for competent technical assistance.

1. Substrate and Target Preparation
NOTE: This section describes the preparation of the sputter deposition chamber and the single crystal SrTiO3 (STO) substrates.
<ol>
	<li>Use 10 mm x 10 mm SrTiO3 (STO) single-crystal substrates during the RF magnetron sputtering process.</li>
	<li>Sequentially clean the substrates in isopropanol and deionized water for 10 min each at room temperature in ultrasonic bath. Then dry the substrates with nitrogen, which is for uniform covering of the substrate and good film adherence.</li>
	<li>Mount the (001) STO substrates in the substrate holders with silver powder conductive glue. Load these into the vacuum chamber.</li>
	<li>Mount the LSMO target in the magnetron injection gun, and then reassemble the gun. Test the resistance with an ohmmeter, to avoid a short circuit between the magnetron and the surrounding shield. Close the vacuum chamber is closed and pump down.</li>
	<li>Once the vacuum is lower than 1 x 10-4 Pa, heat the substrates to 850 &#176;C using a heating rate of 15 &#176;C/min. set the target-substrate distance to 8 cm.</li>
	<li>Set the mass flow controller to 10 sccm of O and 5 sccm of Ar as working gas flow. Use Ar/ O mixed gas to keep O cationic ratio (3) for La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 material during growth.</li>
	<li>Before the deposition, pre-sputter the LSMO target for 20 min at 30 W. High power will lead to cracks in the target and using low power will lead to more time for a clean surface, so we choose 20 min for 30 W.</li>
</ol>
2. LSMO Nanoparticle Deposition
NOTE: This section describes the deposition of the LSMO nanoparticles by RF-magnetron sputtering.
<ol>
	<li>To obtain a chamber pressure of 25 Pa, adjust the molecular pump splint valve. If the instant value is becoming larger than 25 Pa, rotate it counter-clockwise; if it is becoming smaller than 25Pa, rotate it clockwise. Continue until the pressure has settled to a stable value.</li>
	<li>Check that the substrate temperature remains at 850 &#176;C and is stable.</li>
	<li>Increase the power of magnetron from 30 to 80 W. Wait for 10 min, until the plasma is stabilized.</li>
	<li>Open the shutter and deposit LSMO on the heated substrate. 
	NOTE: We used sputtering times of 5, 10, 30, and 60 s for four samples.</li>
	<li>Close the shutter. Shut off power to the magnetron. Close the gas valve and shut off heater power.</li>
	<li>Cool the samples to room temperature. Unusually, this takes at least two hours in this system. Vent the chamber with dry nitrogen, open it, and remove the samples.</li>
</ol>
3. GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948; Film Deposition
<ol>
	<li>Mount the GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948;target in the magnetron gun, then reassemble the gun. Deposit any (Gd) BCO films, using steps similar to steps 1.4-2.8. Use similar deposition conditions for (Gd) BCO films as for the LSMO nanoparticles, except for the sputtering time which should be 30 min. After this, the growth will be over, and next step is the post-annealing.</li>
	<li>Decrease the sample temperature to 500&#176;C. Then, open the gas valve for oxygen to give a chamber pressure of 75,000 Pa. Hold the samples at this temperature for one hour. 
	NOTE: The temperature for 500 &#176;C and a chamber pressure of 75,000 Pa are for uniformly achieving LSMO nanoparticles.</li>
	<li>Cool the samples to room temperature. Vent the chamber with dry nitrogen, open it, and remove the samples.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
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The authors have nothing to disclose.

Here we have demonstrated that this method can be used to prepare LSMO ferromagnetic nanoparticles of uniform distribution on SrTiO3 (STO) single-crystal substrates. The (Gd) BCO films also can be deposited on both bare and LSMO decorated STO substrate. With an appropriate adjustment of deposited parameters, such as growth temperatures and target-substrate distance, this method ought to be useful for deposited different kinds of magnetic and non-magnetic particles or layers, for example, CeO2, YSZ (...

The hole-doped manganite La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) have unique properties such as wide-band gaps, half-metallic ferromagnetism, and entangled electronic states, which provide extraordinary opportunities for potential spintronic applications1,2,3,4. Currently, many researchers are endeavoring to take advantage of the unique properties of LSMO to inhabit the vortex movement for high temperature superconducting (HTS) films, such as (RE) Ba2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948; films (REBCO, RE= rare-earth element)5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. Nanoscale decoration of the substrate surfaces with ferromagnetic nanoparticles will provide well-defined sites for inducing magnetic pinning centers of expected density13,14. However, the ability to control the density and geometry of the nanoparticles on highly textured surfaces, such as on single-crystal substrates and highly textured metal substrates is very difficult. Most commonly, nanoparticles are synthesized and coated on surfaces using metal organic decomposition methods15, and pulsed laser deposition methods16,17. Although pulse laser deposition methods can provide nanoparticles coated on various substrates, it is difficult to realize large area homogeneous nanoparticles deposition. As for metal organic decomposition methods, they are proper for large area deposition of nanoparticles. However, the nanoparticles are often non-uniform and easily damaged by small physical stresses.
Among these techniques, RF-magnetron sputtering has many advantages. Sputtering has a high deposition rate, low cost, and a lack of toxic gas emission. Also, it is easy to expand to large scale area substrates18,19. This method provides single-step formation of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) nanoparticles, and the nanoparticles are easy to be deposited on single-crystal substrates. RF magnetron sputtering can create large area nanoparticles uniformly on a diverse range of substrates, irrespective of surface texture, and surface roughness20.The particle control can be achieved by adjust sputtering time. Homogeneity can be achieved by adjust target-substrate distance. The disadvantage of RF-magnetron sputtering is its lower growth rate for some oxides21. In this approach, target atoms (or molecules) are sputtered out of the target by argon ion, and then nanoparticles are deposited on substrates in the vapor phase22. Nanoparticles formation occurs on the substrate in a single step23. This method is theoretically applicable to any materials including superconducting thin film, resistance film, semiconductor film, ferromagnetic thin film etc. However, to date, reports about protocols for depositing ferromagnetic nanoparticles are very scarce.
Here, we demonstrate the deposition of GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948;/La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 quasi-bilayer films on SrTiO3 (STO) single-crystal substrates by RF magnetron sputtering method. Two kinds of target materials, GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948; and La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 target are used in the process. SrTiO3 (STO) single-crystal substrates were coated with GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948;films and GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948;/La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 quasi-bilayer films.
In this protocol, GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948;/La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Quasi-bilayer films are deposited with RF magnetron sputtering on STO (001) substrates. The target diameter is 60 mm and the distance between the target and substrates is about 10 cm. The heaters are bulbs positioned 1 cm above the substrates. The maximum temperature is 850&#176;C in this system. There are 5 different substrates in this system. RF magnetron sputtering GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948;/La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 quasi-bilayer films consists of two steps, which are the preparation of substrates and the RF magnetron sputtering process. A picture of the sputtering system is shown in Figure&#160;S1.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Sputter Deposition System</td><td>Shenyang scientific instruments Limited by Share Ltd</td><td>Bespoke</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>SrTiO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Single Crystal Substrate</td><td>Hefei Ke crystal material technology Co., Ltd</td><td>Single-sided epi-polished</td><td>(001) orientation</td></tr><tr><td>La&lt;sub&gt;0.67&lt;/sub&gt;Sr&lt;sub&gt;0.33&lt;/sub&gt;MnO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; sputtering target</td><td>Hefei Ke crystal material technology Co., Ltd</td><td>Bespoke</td><td>60 mm diameter</td></tr><tr><td>GdBa&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;Cu&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;7&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;sub&gt;&amp;minus;&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;sub&gt;&amp;delta;&lt;/sub&gt; sputtering target</td><td>Hefei Ke crystal material technology Co., Ltd</td><td>Bespoke</td><td>60 mm diameter</td></tr><tr><td>Atomic Force Microscope</td><td>Br&amp;uuml;ker</td><td>Dimension Icon</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>X-ray Diffractometer</td><td>Br&amp;uuml;ker</td><td>D8 Discover</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Physical Property Measurement System</td><td>Quantum Design</td><td>PPMS 9</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

radio frequency magnetron sputtering of gdba2cu3o7&#8722;&#948;/ la0.67sr0.33mno3 quasi-bilayer films on srtio3 (sto) single-crystal substrates

Here, we demonstrate a method of coating ferromagnetic La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) nanoparticles on (001) SrTiO3 (STO) single-crystal substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. LSMO nanoparticles were deposited with diameters from 10 to 20 nm and heights between 20 and 50 nm. At the same time, (Gd) Ba2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948; ((Gd) BCO) films were fabricated on both undecorated and LSMO nanoparticle decorated STO substrates using RF magnetron sputtering. This report also describes the properties of GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948;/ La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 quasi-bilayer films structures (e.g., crystalline phase, morphology, chemical composition); magnetization, magneto-transport, and superconducting transport properties were also evaluated.

The thickness of (Gd) BCO films on both bare and LSMO decorated STO substrate was 500nm, which was measured by a surface profilometer. The film thickness was controlled by sputtering time. Figure 1a,b shows the AFM image of LSMO nanoparticle (sputtering time of 10 s) on 1.0 cm x 1.0 cm single-crystal STO substrates to prove that the LSMO nanoparticles grown on STO substrates uniformly. The surface and to measure the roughness of the films was...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering of GdBa2Cu3O7âˆ'Î´/ La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Quasi-bilayer Films on SrTiO3 STO Single-crystal Substrates at JoVE.com

Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering of GdBa2Cu3O7ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢Ãƒâ€¹Ã¢â‚¬Â 'ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½ Â´/ La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Quasi-bilayer Films on SrTiO3 STO Single-crystal Substrates

Here, we present a protocol to grow LSMO nanoparticles and (Gd) BCO films on (001) SrTiO3 (STO) single-crystal substrates by radio frequency (RF)-sputtering.

Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering of GdBa2Cu3O7&#8722;&#948;/ La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Quasi-bilayer Films on SrTiO3 (STO) Single-crystal Substrates

Here, we demonstrate a method of coating ferromagnetic La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) nanoparticles on (001) SrTiO3 (STO) single-crystal substrates by radio ...

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7.6K Views.  Shanghai University of Electric Power. Deze methode kan de LSMO nanodeeltjes uniform maken op een STO single-crystal substraat. Ook kan de GBCO-film via dezelfde methode in dezelfde vacuümkamer worden verkregen. Het belangrijkste voordeel van deze technologie is dat LSMO nanodeeltjes met uniforme grootte en hoogwaardige supergeleidende GBCO-folie in dezelfde vacuümkamer kunnen worden gedeponeerd.Deze methode kan inzicht geven in filmdepositiegebied, nanodeeltjesgroeigebied, et cetera. Het kan ook worden toegepast op metaa...

Video: Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering of GdBa2Cu3O7ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢Ãƒâ€¹Ã¢â‚¬Â 'ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½ Â´/ La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Quasi-bilayer Films on SrTiO3 STO Single-crystal Substrates

Micropunching Lithography for Generating Micro- and Submicron-patterns on Polymer Substrates

Conducting polymers have attracted great attention since the discovery of high conductivity in doped polyacetylene in 19771. They offer the advantages of low weight, easy tailoring of properties and a wide spectrum of applications2,3. Due to sensitivity of conducting polymers to environmental conditions (e.g., air, oxygen, moisture, high temperature and chemical solutions), lithographic techniques present significant technical challenges when working with these materials4. For example, current photolithographic methods, such as ultra-violet (UV), are unsuitable for patterning the conducting polymers due to the involvement of wet and/or dry etching processes in these methods. In addition, current micro/nanosystems mainly have a planar form5,6. One layer of structures is built on the top surfaces of another layer of fabricated features. Multiple layers of these structures are stacked together to form numerous devices on a common substrate. The sidewall surfaces of the microstructures have not been used in constructing devices. On the other hand, sidewall patterns could be used, for example, to build 3-D circuits, modify fluidic channels and direct horizontal growth of nanowires and nanotubes.
A macropunching method has been applied in the manufacturing industry to create macropatterns in a sheet metal for over a hundred years. Motivated by this approach, we have developed a micropunching lithography method (MPL) to overcome the obstacles of patterning conducting polymers and generating sidewall patterns. Like the macropunching method, the MPL also includes two operations (Fig. 1): (i) cutting; and (ii) drawing. The "cutting" operation was applied to pattern three conducting polymers4, polypyrrole (PPy), Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophen)-poly(4-styrenesulphonate) (PEDOT) and polyaniline (PANI). It was also employed to create Al microstructures7. The fabricated microstructures of conducting polymers have been used as humidity8, chemical8, and glucose sensors9. Combined microstructures of Al and conducting polymers have been employed to fabricate capacitors and various heterojunctions9,10,11. The "cutting" operation was also applied to generate submicron-patterns, such as 100- and 500-nm-wide PPy lines as well as 100-nm-wide Au wires. The "drawing" operation was employed for two applications: (i) produce Au sidewall patterns on high density polyethylene (HDPE) channels which could be used for building 3D microsystems12,13,14, and (ii) fabricate polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micropillars on HDPE substrates to increase the contact angle of the channel15.

A micropunching lithography approach is developed to generate micro- and submicron-patterns on top, sidewall and bottom surfaces of polymer substrates. It overcomes the obstacles of patterning conducting polymers and generating sidewall patterns. This method allows rapid fabrication of multiple features and is free of aggressive chemistry.

Conducting polymers have attracted great attention since the discovery of high conductivity in doped polyacetylene in 19771. They offer the advantages of ...

Fabrication of Spatially Confined Complex Oxides

Complex materials such as high Tc superconductors, multiferroics, and colossal magnetoresistors have electronic and magnetic properties that arise from the inherent strong electron correlations that reside within them. These materials can also possess electronic phase separation in which regions of vastly different resistive and magnetic behavior can coexist within a single crystal alloy material. By reducing the scale of these materials to length scales at and below the inherent size of the electronic domains, novel behaviors can be exposed. Because of this and the fact that spin-charge-lattice-orbital order parameters each involve correlation lengths, spatially reducing these materials for transport measurements is a critical step in understanding the fundamental physics that drives complex behaviors. These materials also offer great potential to become the next generation of electronic devices 1-3. Thus, the fabrication of low dimensional nano- or micro-structures is extremely important to achieve new functionality. This involves multiple controllable processes from high quality thin film growth to accurate electronic property characterization. Here, we present fabrication protocols of high quality microstructures for complex oxide manganite devices. Detailed descriptions and required equipment of thin film growth, photo-lithography, and wire-bonding are presented.

We describe the use of pulsed laser deposition (PLD), photolithography and wire-bonding techniques to create micrometer scale complex oxides devices. The PLD is utilized to grow epitaxial thin films. Photolithography and wire-bonding techniques are introduced to create practical devices for measurement purposes.

Complex materials such as high Tc superconductors, multiferroics, and colossal magnetoresistors have electronic and magnetic properties that arise from ...

Sputter Growth and Characterization of Metamagnetic B2-ordered FeRh Epilayers

Chemically ordered alloys are useful in a variety of magnetic nanotechnologies. They are most conveniently prepared at an industrial scale using sputtering techniques. Here we describe a method for preparing epitaxial thin films of B2-ordered FeRh by sputter deposition onto single crystal MgO substrates. Deposition at a slow rate onto a heated substrate allows time for the adatoms to both settle into a lattice with a well-defined epitaxial relationship with the substrate and also to find their proper places in the Fe and Rh sublattices of the B2 structure. The structure is conveniently characterized with X-ray reflectometry and diffraction and can be visualised directly using transmission electron micrograph cross-sections. B2-ordered FeRh exhibits an unusual metamagnetic phase transition: the ground state is antiferromagnetic but the alloy transforms into a ferromagnet on heating with a typical transition temperature of about 380 K. This is accompanied by a 1% volume expansion of the unit cell: isotropic in bulk, but laterally clamped in an epilayer. The presence of the antiferromagnetic ground state and the associated first order phase transition is very sensitive to the correct equiatomic stoichiometry and proper B2 ordering, and so is a convenient means to demonstrate the quality of the layers that can be deposited with this approach. We also give some examples of the various techniques by which the change in phase can be detected.

A method to prepare epitaxial layers of ordered alloys by sputtering is described. The B2-ordered FeRh compound is used as an example, as it displays a metamagnetic transition that depends sensitively on the degree of chemical order and the exact composition of the alloy.

Chemically ordered alloys are useful in a variety of magnetic nanotechnologies. They are most conveniently prepared at an industrial scale using ...

Atomically Defined Templates for Epitaxial Growth of Complex Oxide Thin Films

Atomically defined substrate surfaces are prerequisite for the epitaxial growth of complex oxide thin films. In this protocol, two approaches to obtain such surfaces are described. The first approach is the preparation of single terminated perovskite SrTiO3 (001) and DyScO3 (110) substrates. Wet etching was used to selectively remove one of the two possible surface terminations, while an annealing step was used to increase the smoothness of the surface. The resulting single terminated surfaces allow for the heteroepitaxial growth of perovskite oxide thin films with high crystalline quality and well-defined interfaces between substrate and film. In the second approach, seed layers for epitaxial film growth on arbitrary substrates were created by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposition of nanosheets. As model system Ca2Nb3O10- nanosheets were used, prepared by delamination of their layered parent compound HCa2Nb3O10. A key advantage of creating seed layers with nanosheets is that relatively expensive and size-limited single crystalline substrates can be replaced by virtually any substrate material.

Various procedures are outlined to prepare atomically defined templates for epitaxial growth of complex oxide thin films. Chemical treatments of single crystalline SrTiO3 (001) and DyScO3 (110) substrates were performed to obtain atomically smooth, single terminated surfaces. Ca2 Nb3 O10- nanosheets were used to create atomically defined templates on arbitrary substrates.

Atomically defined substrate surfaces are prerequisite for the epitaxial growth of complex oxide thin films. In this protocol, two approaches to obtain ...

Chemistry

Formation of Thick Dense Yttrium Iron Garnet Films Using Aerosol Deposition

Aerosol deposition (AD) is a thick-film deposition process that can produce layers up to several hundred micrometers thick with densities greater than 95% of the bulk. The primary advantage of AD is that the deposition takes place entirely at ambient temperature; thereby enabling film growth in material systems with disparate melting temperatures. This report describes in detail the processing steps for preparing the powder and for performing AD using the custom-built system. Representative characterization results are presented from scanning electron microscopy, profilometry, and ferromagnetic resonance for films grown in this system. As a representative overview of the capabilities of the system, focus is given to a sample produced following the described protocol and system setup. Results indicate that this system can successfully deposit 11 &#181;m thick yttrium iron garnet films that are &#160;&#62; 90% of the bulk density during a single 5 min deposition run. A discussion of methods to afford better control of the aerosol and particle selection for improved thickness and roughness variations in the film is provided.

This report describes the use of a custom-built system to perform aerosol deposition of thick films of yttrium iron garnet onto sapphire substrates at RT. The deposited films are characterized using scanning electron microscopy, profilometry, and ferromagnetic resonance to give a representative overview of the capabilities of the technique.

Aerosol deposition (AD) is a thick-film deposition process that can produce layers up to several hundred micrometers thick with densities greater than 95% ...

Epitaxial Growth of Perovskite Strontium Titanate on Germanium via Atomic Layer Deposition

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a commercially utilized deposition method for electronic materials. ALD growth of thin films offers thickness control and conformality by taking advantage of self-limiting reactions between vapor-phase precursors and the growing film. Perovskite oxides present potential for next-generation electronic materials, but to-date have mostly been deposited by physical methods. This work outlines a method for depositing SrTiO3 (STO) on germanium using ALD. Germanium has higher carrier mobilities than silicon and therefore offers an alternative semiconductor material with faster device operation. This method takes advantage of the instability of germanium's native oxide by using thermal deoxidation to clean and reconstruct the Ge (001) surface to the 2&#215;1 structure. 2-nm thick, amorphous STO is then deposited by ALD. The STO film is annealed under ultra-high vacuum and crystallizes on the reconstructed Ge surface. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) is used during this annealing step to monitor the STO crystallization. The thin, crystalline layer of STO acts as a template for subsequent growth of STO that is crystalline as-grown, as confirmed by RHEED. In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to verify film stoichiometry before and after the annealing step, as well as after subsequent STO growth. This procedure provides framework for additional perovskite oxides to be deposited on semiconductors via chemical methods in addition to the integration of more sophisticated heterostructures already achievable by physical methods.

This work details the procedures for the growth and characterization of crystalline SrTiO3 directly on germanium substrates by atomic layer deposition. The procedure illustrates the ability of an all-chemical growth method to integrate oxides monolithically onto semiconductors for metal-oxide semiconductor devices.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a commercially utilized deposition method for electronic materials. ALD growth of thin films offers thickness control and ...

Spark Plasma Sintering Apparatus Used for the Formation of Strontium Titanate Bicrystals

A spark plasma sintering apparatus was used as a novel method for diffusion bonding of two single crystals of strontium titanate to form bicrystals with one twist grain boundary. This apparatus utilizes high uniaxial pressure and a pulsed direct current for rapid consolidation of material. Diffusion bonding of strontium titanate bicrystals without fracture, in a spark plasma sintering apparatus, is possible at high pressures due to the unusual temperature dependent plasticity behavior of strontium titanate. We demonstrate a method for the successful formation of bicrystals at accelerated time scales and lower temperatures in a spark plasma sintering apparatus compared to bicrystals formed by conventional diffusion bonding parameters. Bond quality was verified by scanning electron microscopy. A clean and atomically abrupt interface containing no secondary phases was observed using transmission electron microscopy techniques. Local changes in bonding across the boundary was characterized by simultaneous scanning transmission electron microscopy and spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy.

A viable technique for the formation of strontium titanate bicrystals at high pressure and fast heating rate via the spark plasma sintering apparatus is developed.

A spark plasma sintering apparatus was used as a novel method for diffusion bonding of two single crystals of strontium titanate to form bicrystals with ...

Growth and Electrostatic/chemical Properties of Metal/LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Heterostructures

The quasi 2D electron system (q2DES) that forms at the interface between LaAlO3 (LAO) and SrTiO3 (STO) has attracted much attention from the oxide electronics community. One of its hallmark features is the existence of a critical LAO thickness of 4 unit-cells (uc) for interfacial conductivity to emerge. Although electrostatic mechanisms have been proposed in the past to describe the existence of this critical thickness, the importance of chemical defects has been recently accentuated. Here, we describe the growth of metal/LAO/STO heterostructures in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) cluster system combining pulsed laser deposition (to grow the LAO), magnetron sputtering (to grow the metal) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We study step by step the formation and evolution of the q2DES and the chemical interactions that occur between the metal and the LAO/STO. Additionally, magnetotransport experiments elucidate on the transport and electronic properties of the q2DES. This systematic work not only demonstrates a way to study the electrostatic and chemical interplay between the q2DES and its environment, but also unlocks the possibility to couple multifunctional capping layers with the rich physics observed in two-dimensional electron systems, allowing the fabrication of new types of devices.

Growth and Electrostatic/chemical Properties of Metal/LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Heterostructures

We fabricate metal/LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures using a combination of pulsed laser deposition and in situ magnetron sputtering. Through magnetotransport and in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiments, we investigate the interplay between electrostatic and chemical phenomena of the quasi two-dimensional electron gas formed in this system.

The quasi 2D electron system (q2DES) that forms at the interface between LaAlO3 (LAO) and SrTiO3 (STO) has attracted much attention from the oxide ...

Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides

Here, we present a procedure for the synthesis of bulk and thin film multicomponent (Mg0.25(1-x)CoxNi0.25(1-x)Cu0.25(1-x)Zn0.25(1-x))O (Co variant) and (Mg0.25(1-x)Co0.25(1-x)Ni0.25(1-x)CuxZn0.25(1-x))O (Cu variant) entropy-stabilized oxides. Phase pure and chemically homogeneous (Mg0.25(1-x)CoxNi0.25(1-x)Cu0.25(1-x)Zn0.25(1-x))O (x = 0.20, 0.27, 0.33) and (Mg0.25(1-x)Co0.25(1-x)Ni0.25(1-x)CuxZn0.25(1-x))O (x = 0.11, 0.27) ceramic pellets are synthesized and used in the deposition of ultra-high quality, phase pure, single crystalline thin films of the target stoichiometry. A detailed methodology for the deposition of smooth, chemically homogeneous, entropy-stabilized oxide thin films by pulsed laser deposition on (001)-oriented MgO substrates is described. The phase and crystallinity of bulk and thin film materials are confirmed using X-ray diffraction. Composition and chemical homogeneity are confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface topography of thin films is measured with scanning probe microscopy. The synthesis of high quality, single crystalline, entropy-stabilized oxide thin films enables the study of interface, size, strain, and disorder effects on the properties in this new class of highly disordered oxide materials.

The synthesis of high quality bulk and thin film (Mg0.25(1-x)CoxNi0.25(1-x)Cu0.25(1-x)Zn0.25(1-x))O and (Mg0.25(1-x)Co0.25(1-x)Ni0.25(1-x)CuxZn0.25(1-x))O entropy-stabilized oxides is presented.

Here, we present a procedure for the synthesis of bulk and thin film multicomponent (Mg0.25(1-x)CoxNi0.25(1-x)Cu0.25(1-x)Zn0.25(1-x))O (Co variant) and ...

Deposition of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 Thin Films on Glass Substrates via RF Sputtering

Fabrication of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 Thermoelectric Thin Films using Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering Technique

Through various studies on thermoelectric (TE) materials, thin film configuration gives superior advantages over conventional bulk TEs, including adaptability to curved and flexible substrates. Several different thin film deposition methods have been explored, yet magnetron sputtering is still favorable due to its high deposition efficiency and scalability. Therefore, this study aims to fabricate a bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) and antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) thin film via the radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. The thin films were deposited on soda lime glass substrates at ambient temperature. The substrates were first washed using water and soap, ultrasonically cleaned with methanol, acetone, ethanol, and deionized water for 10 min, dried with nitrogen gas and hot plate, and finally treated under UV ozone for 10 min to remove residues before the coating process. A sputter target of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 with Argon gas was used, and pre-sputtering was done to clean the target&#39;s surface. Then, a few clean substrates were loaded into the sputtering chamber, and the chamber was vacuumed until the pressure reached 2 x 10-5 Torr. The thin films were deposited for 60 min with Argon flow of 4 sccm and RF power at 75 W and 30 W for Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3, respectively. This method resulted in highly uniform n-type Bi2Te3 and p-type Sb2Te3 thin films.

Author Spotlight: Advancements in High-Performance Thermoelectric Thin Films Through Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

The manuscript describes a protocol for radio frequency magnetron sputtering of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 thermoelectric thin films on glass substrates, which represents a reliable deposition method that provides a wide range of applications with the potential for further development.

Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering of GdBa₂Cu₃O₇₋_δ/ La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ Quasi-bilayer Films on SrTiO₃ (STO) Single-crystal Substrates

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