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M. Riva, G. Franceschi, M. Schmid, U. Diebold:
"Epitaxial growth of complex oxide films: Role of surface reconstructions";
Physical Review Research, 1 (2019), 0330591 - 0330598.

Achieving atomically flat and stoichiometric films of complex multicomponent oxides is crucial to integratingthese materials in both established and emerging technologies. While pulsed laser deposition (PLD) can inprinciple produce these high-quality films, growth experiments often result in unsatisfactory morphologies withrough surfaces and nonstoichiometric compositions. To understand the cause, the growth needs to be followed atan atomic level from its early stages as a function of the growth conditions. By combining PLD with atomicallyresolved scanning tunneling microscopy, as well as surface spectroscopic and diffraction techniques, we addressthe origin of surface roughening in SrTiO3(110) homoepitaxial films and pinpoint optimal growth conditions. Wehighlight the importance of surface reconstructions at all stages of growth: The different sticking on coexistingsurface structures is responsible for the roughening of SrTiO3(110) films and affects their stoichiometry.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.1.033059