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Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) spectra of LaA1O3/SrTiO3, LaGaO3/SrTiO3,andNdGaO3/SrTiO3 interfaces with SrTiO3 substrates have been measured up to 4.2 eV as a function of film thickness and temperature. This spectral range is characterized by two-photon transitions from the valence to conduction bands of SrTiO3 which are classified with a model based on symmetry, selection rules, and atomic orbital overlaps. This model is further confirmed in spectral measurements as a function of film thickness, material overlayer, and temperature. SHG enhancement at low temperature indicates an increase of the interfacial polarity with decreasing temperature. This confirms the relation between SHG and the spatial translation of Ti ions which are more prone to move at lower temperatures because of the quantum-paraelectric nature of SrTiO3. We finally show that SHG spectroscopy captures structural details of the interfaces. In particular, we find evidence for proximity effects such as LaA1O3-induced distortions of the TiO6 octahedra or bond buckling. We also observe a correlation between SHG and the in-plane lattice mismatch between the SrTiO3 substrate and the LaA1O3, LaGaO3, and NdGaO3 overlayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blue-green photoluminescence emitted by pure and electron-doped strontium titanate under intense pulsed near-ultraviolet excitation is studied experimentally as a function of excitation intensity and temperature. Both emission spectra and time-resolved decays of the emission are measured and analyzed in the framework of simple phenomenological models. We find an interesting blue-to-green transition occurring for increasing temperatures in pure samples, which is absent in doped materials. The luminescence yield and decay rate measured as a function of temperature can be modeled well as standard activated behaviors. The leading electron-hole recombination process taking place in the initial decay is established to be second order, or bimolecular, in contrast to recent reports favoring a third-order interpretation as an Auger process. The temporal decay of the luminescence can be described well by a model based on two interacting populations of excitations, respectively identified with interacting defect-trapped (possibly forming excitons) and mobile charges. Finally, from the measured doping and sample dependence of the luminescence yield, we conclude that the radiative centers responsible for the luminescence are probably intrinsic structural defects other than bulk oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the proportional regime of a double superconducting tunnel junction detector in terms of the diffusion equation of the nonequilibrium quasiparticles excited in the absorber by the impinging radiation. Information on the double-probe particle detector; Data on the mapping of the images of the absorber films; Equations describing the diffusion of the quasiparticles.

Abstract: We investigate pulsed laser ablation of LaAlO3 and LaGaO3 with a focus on the influence of oxygen background gas pressure on the plume expansion dynamics and deposition rate. The ablation plume is characterized by exploiting fast photography and time- and space-resolved optical emission spectroscopy. The variation of the deposition rate with the oxygen background pressure was obtained at 800°C by reflection high-energy electron diffraction, and compared to that measured at room temperature by means of a quartz crystal microbalance. The experimental findings allow one to address the various stages of plume expansion as a function of the background oxygen pressure as well as the changes induced on the plume species kinetic energy and composition. On the base of our experimental results, the possible influence of various mechanisms, such as subplantation and oxygen vacancy formation, on the growth of oxides interfaces is addressed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The polarization induced at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface has been explored by optical second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy. Our data reveal that an orbital reconstruction of the SrTiO3 surface occurs when three epitaxial monolayers of LaAlO3 are deposited on top of it. The reconstruction manifests as a spectral modification of a Ti4+(3d) state at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface which is accompanied by a displacement of the Ti4+ ions in adjacent SrTiO3 monolayers in order to compensate for the polarization discontinuity induced at the interface. According to the SHG experiment, the carriers transferred to the interface are trapped because in spite of the orbital reconstruction, the interface remains insulating. The onset of conductivity with the formation of a two-dimensional electron liquid appears to be a subordinate effect related to a minority of carriers and occurs upon further increase of the LaAlO3 coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe some general features in the transient behaviour of strongly correlated transition metal oxides, following ultrafast excitation by a femtosecond laser pulse. Our analysis is based on time-resolved reflectivity measurements on (V1-xCrx)2O3, a prototype Mott-Hubbard material, and the manganite compound (La0.67Sr0.33)MnO3, performed over a time window of several tenths of ps. We point out the contribution of coherent lattice oscillations-both optical and acoustic-to the overall signal, and show how they can depend on the crystallographic orientation of the material with respect to the laser beam wavevector and polarisation. In particular, an acoustic wave is always found to be present in our measurements, and we show that its oscillating behaviour is superposed to the average time evolution of the material, which can be instead related in different ways to its electronic properties and thermodynamic phase. All these effects are to be taken into account in any further analysis leading to the estimation of relevant physical parameters for correlated materials, and they appear to play a significant role not only for reflectivity techniques, but also in other kinds of ultrafast pump-probe experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The recombination dynamics of electron–hole pairs of pure and n-doped strontium titanate (STO) bulk samples after an intense UV laser-pulse excitation has been investigated by collecting and analyzing the frequency- and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) signal, as a function of the sample temperature. The observed PL decay is in the nanosecond time-scale and it shows a peculiar mixed kinetics. In particular, two decay channels are clearly singled-out: the faster one has a decay-time that is markedly dependent on the photo-excited carrier density and it is well described as a bimolecular recombination process, while the second slower channel shows an excitation-independent rate and follows an unimolecular law. The PL spectra show a considerable variation with temperature, with a previously unreported, pronounced difference between pure and doped samples emerging at high temperatures. A first discussion of the possible underlying mechanisms is attempted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High quality, very flat Nd1.2Ba1.8Cu3O y thin films have been grown by sputtering on TiO2 terminated SrTiO3 (100) single crystals and their surface structure have been determined by using Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXD) technique, employing synchrotron radiation. A 52 unit cells film presents a double terminated surface composed by a complete and ordered Cu(1)–O plane and a disordered Cu(1)–O plane partially covered by a BaO layer, in full agreement with scanning tunneling microscopy data. A preliminary comparison between the structure of 8 and 52 u.c. NdBCO films will be presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

YBa2C3O7−δ artificial grain boundary Josephson junctions have been fabricated by a recently implemented biepitaxial technique, employing MgO and CeO2 as seed layers. The Josephson properties of asymmetric grain boundaries (GBs) characterised by a misalignment of the c-axis (45° c-axis tilt or twist) are presented. A comparison with GBs characterised by 45° c-axis tilt or twist and by an additional rotation of 45° of the a–b planes of one electrode has been also performed. The differences observed in the transport properties have been interpreted in terms of dx2−y2 wave symmetry of the order parameter and faceting of the grain boundary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

(110) and (103) YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7] films have been grown onto exact and vicinal (110) SrTiO[sub 3] substrates, and on vicinal (110) MgO substrates with a SrTiO[sub 3] buffer layer. The samples are carefully characterised by reciprocal space mapping with x-ray diffraction, in order to investigate the features of the typical double domain of (110) and (103) YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7] structure. It is demonstrated that vicinal cut substrates allow to select one film/substrate epitaxial relation. The growth properties of these thin films deposited on vicinal surfaces are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of collaboration between the groups of Naples and Genoa Universities/INFM, focused on thin films superconducting borocarbides. In particular a careful study of the deposition of non-magnetic LuNi[sub 2]B[sub 2]C thin films by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) on MgO and other substrates will be presented. While samples with good c-orientation and superconducting properties are obtained in a wide range of deposition parameters, in-plane micrometric oriented structures are obtained only in a narrow range of conditions, as evidenced by X-rays measurements and AFM (atomic force microscopy) analyses. A special set-up for the in situ interchanging of shadow masks has been developed in order to deposit the different patterned layers and different buffer and/or barrier layers. New results on the temperature dependence of the LuNi[sub 2]B[sub 2]C gap using S/N contact junctions are presented and discussed. The obtained value of the superconducting gap and its temperature dependence agrees very well with the BCS prediction. We present also microwave measurements of the surface impedance performed on large area films obtained by sputtering technique on low loss sapphire substrates. The data confirm the overall BCS-like behavior of these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concepts and experimental procedures to obtain different types of YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7] grain boundaries Josephson junctions through the biepitaxial technique have been developed. Various seed layers (MgO, CeO[sub 2] and SrTiO[sub 3]) and substrates (MgO, SrTiO[sub 3]) have been used providing, for the biepitaxial technique, additional flexibility in circuit design. A detailed investigation on transport properties evidenced good performances for both junctions and superconducting quantum interference devices. Experimental evidence is given of a conventional magnetic field behavior in 45° tilt Artificial Grain Boundary (AGB) for which no π-loops are predicted along the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effects of ambient pressure and substrate temperature on the deposition rate of oxides grown by pulsed laser deposition in oxygen atmosphere. The deposition rate of LaGaO3 (LGO) and LaAlO3 (LAO) is studied at room temperature by means of a quartz crystal microbalance and at 800 °C by exploiting reflection high energy electron diffraction. We observe a clear dependence of the deposition rate on temperature for an oxygen pressure between 10-2 and 1 mbar. A simple model based on multiple-elastic-scattering processes thoroughly describes the observed dependence of the deposition rate on the pressure/density of the background gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulsed laser deposition of SrTiO3/LaGaO3 and SrTiO3/LaAlO3 interfaces is analyzed with a focus on the kinetic energy of the ablated species. LaGaO3 and LaAlO3 plasma plumes were studied by fast photography and space-resolved optical emission spectroscopy. Reflection high energy electron diffraction was performed proving a layer-by-layer growth up to 10-1 mbar oxygen pressure. The role of the energetic plasma plume on the two-dimensional growth and on the presence of interfacial defects at different oxygen growth pressures is discussed in connection with the conducting properties of the polar/nonpolar interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the growth of the heterostructure LaGaO3/SrTiO3 yields the formation of a highly conductive interface. Our samples were carefully analyzed by high resolution electron microscopy, in order to assess their crystal perfection and to evaluate the abruptness of the interface. Their carrier density and sheet resistance are compared to the case of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 and a superconducting transition is found. The results open the route to widening the field of polar-nonpolar interfaces, pose some phenomenological constrains to their underlying physics and highlight the chance of tailoring their properties for future applications by adopting suitable polar materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple technique for the growth of SrO-terminated SrTiO3 surfaces is reported. High quality SrTiO3 epitaxial films were grown by reflection high energy electron diffraction assisted pulsed laser deposition on suitably prepared NdGaO3 (110) substrates. The surface properties, analyzed within a growth/characterization multichamber ultrahigh vacuum system by photoemission spectroscopy performed on the core-level spectra of Sr and Ti, low energy electron diffraction-, scanning tunneling-, and atomic force microscopy, are fully consistent with a single Sr oxide termination. The availability of such high quality SrO-terminated SrTiO3 surfaces is of major importance for the controlled growth of oxide epilayers and interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the recent surge of interest in n-doped strontium titanate as a possible blue light emitter, a time-resolved photoluminescence analysis was performed on nominally pure, Nb-doped and oxygen-deficient single-crystal SrTiO3 samples. The doping effects on both the electronic states involved in the transition and the decay mechanism are respectively analyzed by comparing the spectral and dynamic features and the yields of the emission. Our time-resolved analysis, besides shedding some light on the basic recombination mechanisms acting in these materials, sets the intrinsic bandwidth limit of the proposed blue light emitting optoelectronic devices made of Ti-based perovskites heterostructures in the gigahertz range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of SrTiO3 (100) (STO) single crystal surfaces has been investigated by grazing incidence x-ray diffraction. The authors found that chemically etched STO is composed ∼75% of an ideal TiO2 surface layer and ∼25% of SrO and it is very stable when annealed in ultrahigh vacuum or in O2 at high temperatures. A monolayer of SrO, epitaxially grown by pulsed laser deposition, is found to cover only a fraction of the TiO2 layers and exhibits a 2×2 reconstruction with strong structural changes after annealing in conditions typically used for the deposition of oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic and magnetotransport properties of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/Permalloy heterostructures are investigated. La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films were grown on (110) SrTiO3 in order to induce an in-plane anisotropy with the easy axis along the [001] direction. An easy axis of magnetization was induced in the Permalloy in the same direction through the application of a magnetic field during the growth. The magnetic characterization of the bilayer is presented and discussed. The transport properties of devices operated in the current perpendicular to plane mode are shown. The possibility of fabricating magnetoresistive devices by simply depositing a ferromagnetic counterelectrode on a manganite film is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have studied the effect of thickness on the structure and superconductivity of Nd1.2Ba1.8Cu3O7+x (NdBCO) epitaxial films deposited on SrTiO3 (100) substrates. High quality NdBCO films were deposited by high oxygen pressure sputtering. The samples have been carefully characterized by transport measurements and X-ray diffraction using conventional and synchrotron radiation sources. Two structural transformations are observed. The first one is a crossover from the orthorhombic and twinned structure, typical of thick samples, to a pseudotetragonal phase at thickness lower than 60 unit cells. The pseudotetragonal phase exhibits peculiar X-ray diffuse scattering around the Bragg reflections, associated to nanostructured twinned domains. The second one appears at thickness lower than 20 unit cells and is assigned to a pseudotetragonal–tetragonal transition. The transport properties are not modified at the first crossover, while a substantial decrease of T c and of the number of holes is observed at the pseudotetragonal–tetragonal transformation. Our results suggest that the structural rearrangement and the transport properties are explained by the ordering of Cu(1)O chains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Superconductivity of Y1Ba2Cu3O7-d c-axis epitaxial films is always depressed when the films thickness is reduced to few unit cells. Here we report a detailed study of the structure, morphology and transport properties of Y(Nd0.05Ba1.95)Cu3O7-d films deposited by high pressure diode oxygen sputtering. Films having thickness between 9 and 250 unit cells deposited on LaAlO3 substrates have been investigated. It is shown that both Tc and Jc are reduced by decreasing the film thickness. The effect is quite evident even in relatively thick Y(Nd0.05Ba1.95)Cu3O7-d films made of 32 unit cells. Moreover it is shown that the a and b axes of the films approach one to each other with decreasing thickness. A nine unit cell film is almost tetragonal. Application of a simple elasticity theory to account for the structural changes fails to explain the experimental results. Inelastic strain induced by an oxygen disordering in the Cu(1)–O chains may explain the experimental results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The voltage-spectral density SV (f) of the 2-dimensional electron gas formed at the interface of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 has been thoroughly investigated. The low-frequency component has a clear 1/f behavior with a quadratic bias current dependence, attributed to resistance fluctuations. However, its temperature dependence is inconsistent with the classical Hooge model, based on carrier-mobility fluctuations. The experimental results are, instead, explained in terms of carrier-number fluctuations, due to an excitation-trapping mechanism of the 2-dimensional electron gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate pulsed laser deposition of LaGaO3/SrTiO3 at 10-1 mbar oxygen background pressure, demonstrating the critical effect of the target-to-substrate distance, dTS, on the interface sheet resistance, Rs. The interface turns from insulating to metallic by progressively decreasing dTS. The analysis of the LaGaO3 plume evidences the important role of the plume propagation dynamics on the interface properties. These results demonstrate the growth of conducting interfaces at an oxygen pressure of 10-1 mbar, an experimental condition where a well-oxygenated heterostructures with a reduced content of oxygen defects is expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present novel low-field magnetoresistive devices based on the ferromagnetic manganite La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 operating in the current in plane (CIP) configuration. In these planar spin-valve devices, a focused Ga+ beam is used to create pinning centers for magnetic domain walls. The spin-dependent scattering of polarized electrons at the domain walls (DW) is responsible for the magnetoresistance observed in the patterned tracks. The magneto-transport properties of these devices are interpreted within a model for DW magnetoresistance. Applications such as magnetic data storage can be envisaged for the structures we investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]