Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and theoretical studies based on classical nucleation theory have been used to understand the morphology, orientation relationship and stability of Cu2O nanoclusters on SrTiO3 (100) (STO). We propose that the competing interfacial and elastic energies facilitate an in-plane rotation of the Cu2O clusters by 45o with respect to the STO substrate and stabilize Cu2O clusters on STO(100) with an orientation relationship of (001) Cu 2o //(001) SrTiO3 and Cu 2o // SrTiO3. Preliminary theoretical analysis also suggests that this particular orientation results in smaller critical nucleus sizes and lower nucleation barriers. The study also indicates a chemical potential (growth rate) dependence of the orientation relationship.
Revised: September 23, 2009 |
Published: August 3, 2009
Citation
Kuchibhatla S.N., S.Y. Hu, Z. Yu, V. Shutthanandan, Y. Li, P. Nachimuthu, and W. Jiang, et al. 2009.Morphology, Orientation Relationship and Stability Analysis of Cu2O nanoclusters on SrTiO3 (100).Applied Physics Letters 95, no. 5:Art. No. 053111.PNNL-SA-65739.doi:10.1063/1.3193530