The stability of epitaxially grown single crystal SrTiO3(001) thin films on Si(100) substrate was studied as a function of temperature under vacuum and oxygen rich environments using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) along with channeling techniques, nuclear reaction analysis (NRA), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). During the vacuum annealing, it was found that the interfacial silica formed due to diffusion of oxygen from the film to Si. This was further accompanied by the atomic disordering of Sr, Ti and O sublattices in the film due to its reduction. Although the interfacial process is similar during the heating in oxygen environment, no disordering of the film was observed due to the oxygen replenishment from the environment to the film. Activation energy for the formation of silica at the interface under vacuum heating conditions was determined to be 0.13eV.
Revised: March 21, 2002 |
Published: March 11, 2002
Citation
Shutthanandan V., S. Thevuthasan, Y. Liang, E.M. Adams, Z.J. Yu, and R. Droopad. 2002.Direct Observation of Atomic Disordering at the SrTiO3/Si Interface Due to Oxygen Diffusion.Applied Physics Letters 80, no. 10:1803-1805.PNNL-SA-35240.