Demystifying the growth of superconducting Sr2RuO4 thin films.

Authors :: Nair, Hari P.
Ruf, Jacob P.
Schreiber, Nathaniel J.
Miao, Ludi
Grandon, Morgan L.
Baek, David J.
Goodge, Berit H.
Ruff, Jacob P. C.
Kourkoutis, Lena F.
Shen, Kyle M.
Schlom, Darrell G.
Source :: APL Materials; Oct2018, Vol. 6 Issue 10, pN.PAG-N.PAG, 8p
Publication Year :: 2018
Abstract: We report the growth of superconducting Sr<subscript>2</subscript>RuO<subscript>4</subscript> thin films by molecular-beam epitaxy on (110) NdGaO<subscript>3</subscript> substrates with transition temperatures of up to 1.8 K. We calculate and experimentally validate a thermodynamic growth window for the adsorption-controlled growth of superconducting Sr<subscript>2</subscript>RuO<subscript>4</subscript> epitaxial thin films. The growth window for achieving superconducting Sr<subscript>2</subscript>RuO<subscript>4</subscript> thin films is narrow in growth temperature, oxidant pressure, and ruthenium-to-strontium flux ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]