Preparation of SrCuO y film in ultra-high vacuum system

Abstract

SrCuO 2 crystal contains two-dimensional CuO 2 planes like those constituting supercurrent path in high T c superconducting cuprates. We have investigated on epitaxial SrCuO y film growth on SrTiO 3(001) substrate by ArF pulsed laser deposition in ultra-high vacuum. In situ RHEED and XPS diagnoses of the film growth process under a very low NO 2 pressure indicated that there were slight fluctuations in surface and electronic states of the initial 1 nm thick film growth. Beyond this initial stage, the film growth gave streaky RHEED pattern with its intensity oscillated at a periodicity corresponding well to the c-axis length of SrCuO 2, verifying the layer-by-layer growth. The as-grown film was electrically conductive.