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We investigate the ultrafast structural dynamics of LaAlO3 thin films driven by short mid-infrared laser pulses at 20 THz. Time-resolved X-ray diffraction reveals an immediate lattice expansion and an acoustic breathing mode of the film. First-principles theory and a spring-mass model identify the direct coupling between coherently driven infrared-active phonons and strain as the underlying mechanism. Time-resolved optical birefringence measurements confirm that the amplitude of this acoustic mode scales linearly with the pump fluence, which agrees with the theory. Furthermore, time-resolved X-ray diffuse scattering indicates that THz excitation enhances crystallinity by inducing a non-thermal increase in structural symmetry originating from preexisting defects. These findings highlight the potential of a multimodal approach-combining time-resolved X-ray and optical measurements and first-principles theory-to elucidate and control structural dynamics in nanoscale materials.

Magnons carriers of spin information can be controlled by electric fields in the multiferroic BiFeO$_3$ (BFO), a milestone that brings magnons closer to application in future devices. The origin of magnon-spin currents in BFO, however, is not fully understood due to BFO's complicated magnetic texture. In this letter, we present a phenomenological model to elucidate the existence of magnon spin currents in generalized multiferroics by examining the symmetries inherent to their magnetic and polar structures. This model is grounded in experimental data obtained from BFO and its derivatives, which informs the symmetry operations and resultant magnon behavior. By doing so, we address the issue of symmetry-allowed, switchable magnon spin transport in multiferroics, thereby establishing a critical framework for comprehending magnon transport within complex magnetic textures., Comment: 6 Pages, 3 Figures

Pattern formation in spin systems with continuous-rotational symmetry (CRS) provides a powerful platform to study emergent complex magnetic phases and topological defects in condensed-matter physics. However, its understanding and correlation with unconventional magnetic order along with high-resolution nanoscale imaging is challenging. Here, we employ scanning NV magnetometry to unveil the morphogenesis of spin cycloids at both the local and global scales within a single ferroelectric domain of (111)-oriented BiFeO$_3$ (which is a non-collinear antiferromagnet), resulting in formation of a glassy labyrinthine pattern. We find that the domains of locally oriented cycloids are interconnected by an array of topological defects and exhibit isotropic energy landscape predicted by first-principles calculations. We propose that the CRS of spin-cycloid propagation directions within the (111) drives the formation of the labyrinthine pattern and the associated topological defects such as antiferromagnetic skyrmions. Unexpectedly, reversing the as-grown ferroelectric polarization from [$\bar{1}$$\bar{1}$$\bar{1}$] to [111] induces a magnetic phase transition, destroying the labyrinthine pattern and producing a deterministic non-volatile non cycloidal, uniformly magnetized state. These findings highlight that (111)-oriented BiFeO$_3$ is not only important for studying the fascinating subject of pattern formation but could also be utilized as an ideal platform for integrating novel topological defects in the field of antiferromagnetic spintronics., Comment: 20 pages, 15 figures

Understanding the dehydrogenation of transition metal oxide surfaces under electrochemical potential is critical to the control of important chemical processes such as the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Using first principles computations, we model the thermodynamic dehydrogenation process on RuO$_2$(110) and compare the results to experimental cyclic voltammetry (CV) on single crystal. We use a cluster expansion model trained on *ab initio* energy data coupled with Monte Carlo (MC) sampling to derive the macroscopic electrochemical observables, i.e., experimental CV, from the energetics of different hydrogen coverage microstates on well-defined RuO$_2$(110). Our model reproduces the unique "two-peaks" cyclic voltammogram observed experimentally with current density peak positions and shapes in good qualitative agreement. We show that RuO$_2$(110) starts as a water-covered surface with hydrogen on bridge (BRG) and coordination-unsaturated sites (CUS) at low potential (less than 0.4 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE). As the potential increases, the hydrogens on BRG desorb, becoming the main contributor to the first CV peak with smaller contributions from CUS. When all BRG hydrogens are desorbed (before 1.2 V vs. RHE), the remaining CUS hydrogens desorb abruptly in a very small potential window leading to the sharp second peak observed during CV. Our work shows that above 1.23 V, the OER proceeds on a fully dehydrogenated RuO$_2$(110) surface., Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures in Main Text, 3 figures in Supplementary Info

In this study, we investigate in situ etching of \b{eta}-Ga2O3 in a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system using tert-Butyl chloride (TBCl). We report the successful etching of both heteroepitaxial (-201)-oriented and homoepitaxial (010)-oriented \b{eta}-Ga2O3 films over a wide range of substrate temperature, TBCl molar flows, and reactor pressures. We identify that the likely etchant is HCl (g) formed by the pyrolysis of TBCl in the hydrodynamic boundary layer above the substrate. The temperature dependence of the etch rate reveals two distinct regimes characterized by markedly different apparent activation energies. The extracted apparent activation energies suggest that at temperatures below ~800 {\deg}C the etch rate is likely limited by desorption of etch products. The relative etch rates of heteroepitaxial (-201) and homoepitaxial (010) \b{eta}-Ga2O3 were observed to scale by the ratio of the surface energies indicating an anisotropic etch. For (010) homoepitaxial films, relatively smooth post-etch surface morphology was achieved by tuning the etching parameters., Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures

Sapphire is a technologically highly relevant material, but it poses many challenges to performing epitaxial thin-film deposition. We have identified and applied the conditions for adsorption-controlled homoepitaxial growth of c-plane sapphire. The films thus grown are atomically smooth, have a controlled termination, and are of outstanding crystallinity. Their chemical purity exceeds that of the substrates. The films exhibit exceptional optical properties such as a single-crystal-like bandgap and a low density of F+ centers.

Antiferromagnets have attracted significant attention in the field of magnonics, as promising candidates for ultralow-energy carriers for information transfer for future computing. The role of crystalline orientation distribution on magnon transport has received very little attention. In multiferroics such as BiFeO$_3$ the coupling between antiferromagnetic and polar order imposes yet another boundary condition on spin transport. Thus, understanding the fundamentals of spin transport in such systems requires a single domain, a single crystal. We show that through Lanthanum(La) substitution, a single ferroelectric domain can be engineered with a stable, single-variant spin cycloid, controllable by an electric field. The spin transport in such a single domain displays a strong anisotropy, arising from the underlying spin cycloid lattice. Our work shows a pathway to understand the fundamental origins of spin transport in such a single domain multiferroic., Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure

We conduct local magnetic measurements on superconducting thin-film samples of Sr$\mathrm{_2}$RuO$\mathrm{_4}$ using scanning Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) susceptometry. From the diamagnetic response, we extract the magnetic penetration depth, $\lambda$, which exhibits a quadratic temperature dependence at low temperatures. Although a quadratic dependence in high-purity bulk samples has been attributed to non-local electrodynamics, our analysis suggests that in our thin-film samples the presence of scattering is the origin of the quadratic dependence. While we observe micron-scale variations in the diamagnetic response and superconducting transition temperature, the form of the temperature dependence of $\lambda$ is independent of position. Finally, we characterize flux trapping in superconducting rings lithographically fabricated from the thin films, paving the way to systematic device-based tests of the superconducting order parameter in Sr$\mathrm{_2}$RuO$\mathrm{_4}$.

In bulk Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$, the strong sensitivity of the superconducting transition temperature $T_{\text{c}}$ to nonmagnetic impurities provides robust evidence for a superconducting order parameter that changes sign around the Fermi surface. In superconducting epitaxial thin-film Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$, the relationship between $T_{\text{c}}$ and the residual resistivity $\rho_0$, which in bulk samples is taken to be a proxy for the low-temperature elastic scattering rate, is far less clear. Using high-energy electron irradiation to controllably introduce point disorder into bulk single-crystal and thin-film Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$, we show that $T_{\text{c}}$ is suppressed in both systems at nearly identical rates. This suggests that part of $\rho_0$ in films comes from defects that do not contribute to superconducting pairbreaking, and establishes a quantitative link between the superconductivity of bulk and thin-film samples.

Rare earth dopants are one of the most extensively studied optical emission centers for a broad range of applications such as laser optoelectronics, sensing, lighting, and quantum information technologies due to their narrow optical linewidth and exceptional coherence properties. Epitaxial doped oxide thin films can serve as a promising and controlled host to investigate rare-earth dopants suitable for scalable quantum memories, on-chip lasers and amplifiers. Here, we report high-quality epitaxial thin films of Tm-doped CaZrO$_3$ grown by pulsed laser deposition for infrared optoelectronic and quantum memory applications. We perform extensive structural and chemical characterization to probe the crystallinity of the films and the doping behavior. Low temperature photoluminescence measurements show sharp radiative transitions in the short-wave infrared range of 1.75 - 2 \mu m., Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures

We present an integrated procedure for the synthesis of infinite-layer nickelates using molecular-beam epitaxy with gas-phase reduction by atomic hydrogen. We first discuss challenges in the growth and characterization of perovskite NdNiO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$, arising from post growth crack formation in stoichiometric films. We then detail a procedure for fully reducing NdNiO$_3$ films to the infinite-layer phase, NdNiO$_2$, using atomic hydrogen; the resulting films display excellent structural quality, smooth surfaces, and lower residual resistivities than films reduced by other methods. We utilize the in situ nature of this technique to investigate of the role that SrTiO$_3$ capping layers play in the reduction process, illustrating their importance in preventing the formation of secondary phases at the exposed nickelate surface. A comparative bulk- and surface-sensitive study indicates formation of a polycrystalline crust on the film surface serves to limit the reduction process., Comment: Main text: 12 pages, 7 figures. Supplemental Materials: 11 pages, 11 figures

We present time-domain THz spectroscopy of thin films of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn$_5$. The complex optical conductivity is analyzed through a Drude model and extended Drude model analysis. Below the $\approx$ 40 K Kondo coherence temperature, a narrow Drude-like peak forms, as the result of the $f$ orbital - conduction electron hybridization and the formation of the heavy-fermion state. Via an extended Drude model analysis, we measure the frequency-dependent scattering rate ($1/ \tau $) and effective mass ($m^*/m_b$). This scattering rate shows a linear dependence on temperature, which matches the dependence of the resistivity as expected. Nonetheless, the width of the low-frequency Drude peak (characterized by a {\it renormalized} quasiparticle scattering rate ($1 / \tau^* = m_b/ m^* \tau $) does show a $T^2$ dependence giving evidence for a hidden Fermi state., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

Knowing oxide-forming ability is vital to gain desired or avoid deleterious oxides formation through tuning oxidizing environment and materials chemistry. Here, we have conducted a comprehensive thermodynamic analysis of 137 binary oxides using the presently predicted Ellingham diagrams. It is found that the active elements to form oxides easily are the f-block elements (lanthanides and actinides), elements in the groups II, III, and IV (alkaline earth, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, and Hf), and Al and Li; while the noble elements with their oxides nonstable and easily reduced are coinage metals (Cu, Ag, and especially Au), Pt-group elements, and Hg and Se. Machine learning based sequential feature selection indicates that oxide-forming ability can be represented by electronic structures of pure elements, for example, their d- and s-valence electrons, Mendeleev numbers, and the groups, making the periodic table a useful tool to tailor oxide-forming ability. The other key elemental features to correlate oxide-forming ability are thermochemical properties such as melting points and standard entropy at 298 K of pure elements. It further shows that the present Ellingham diagrams enable qualitatively understanding and even predicting oxides formed in multicomponent materials, such as the Fe-20Cr-20Ni alloy (in wt.%) and the equimolar high entropy alloy of AlCoCrFeNi, which are in accordance with thermodynamic calculations using the CALPHAD approach and experimental observations in the literature.

A collective excitation of the spin structure in a magnetic insulator can transmit spin-angular momentum with negligible dissipation. This quantum of a spin wave, introduced more than nine decades ago, has always been manipulated through magnetic dipoles, (i.e., timereversal symmetry). Here, we report the experimental observation of chiral-spin transport in multiferroic BiFeO3, where the spin transport is controlled by reversing the ferroelectric polarization (i.e., spatial inversion symmetry). The ferroelectrically controlled magnons produce an unprecedented ratio of up to 18% rectification at room temperature. The spin torque that the magnons in BiFeO3 carry can be used to efficiently switch the magnetization of adja-cent magnets, with a spin-torque efficiency being comparable to the spin Hall effect in heavy metals. Utilizing such a controllable magnon generation and transmission in BiFeO3, an alloxide, energy-scalable logic is demonstrated composed of spin-orbit injection, detection, and magnetoelectric control. This observation opens a new chapter of multiferroic magnons and paves an alternative pathway towards low-dissipation nanoelectronics.

Despite significant achievements in characterizing the properties of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ over the last three decades, the precise nature of its electronic ground state is still unresolved. In this work, we provide a missing piece of the puzzle by uncovering evidence of electronic nematic order in the normal state of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, revealed by ultrafast time-resolved optical dichroism measurements of uniaxially strained thin films. This nematic order, whose domains are aligned by the strain, spontaneously breaks the four-fold rotational symmetry of the crystal. The temperature dependence of the dichroism resembles an Ising-like order parameter, and optical pumping induces a coherent oscillation of its amplitude mode. A microscopic model of intra-unit-cell nematic order is presented, highlighting the importance of Coulomb repulsion between neighboring oxygen $p$-orbitals. The existence of electronic nematic order in the normal state of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ may have consequences for the form and mechanism of superconductivity in this material.

Technology moves towards ever faster switching between different electronic and magnetic states of matter. Manipulating properties at terahertz rates requires accessing the intrinsic timescales of electrons (femtoseconds) and associated phonons (10s of femtoseconds to few picoseconds), which is possible with short-pulse photoexcitation. Yet, in many Mott insulators, the electronic transition is accompanied by the nucleation and growth of percolating domains of the changed lattice structure, leading to empirical time scales dominated by slow coarsening dynamics. Here, we use time-resolved X-ray diffraction and reflectivity measurements to investigate the photoinduced insulator-to-metal transition in an epitaxially strained thin film Mott insulator Ca2RuO4. The dynamical transition occurs without observable domain formation and coarsening effects, allowing the study of the intrinsic electronic and lattice dynamics. Above a fluence threshold, the initial electronic excitation drives a fast lattice rearrangement, followed by a slower electronic evolution into a metastable non-equilibrium state. Microscopic calculations based on time-dependent dynamical mean-field theory and semiclassical lattice dynamics within a recently published equilibrium energy landscape picture explain the threshold-behavior and elucidate the delayed onset of the electronic phase transition in terms of kinematic constraints on recombination. Analysis of satellite scattering peaks indicates the persistence of a strain-induced nano-texture in the photoexcited film. This work highlights the importance of combined electronic and structural studies to unravel the physics of dynamic transitions and elucidates the role of strain in tuning the timescales of photoinduced processes.

Plasma discharge lamps are widely utilized in the practice of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) experiments as narrow-linewidth ultraviolet photon sources. However, many emission lines such as Ar-I, Ne-I, and Ne-II have closely spaced doublet emission lines, which result in superimposed replica on the measured ARPES spectra. Here, we present a simple method for subtracting the contribution of these doublet emission lines from photoemission spectra. Benchmarking against ARPES spectra of well-characterized 2D materials, we demonstrate that this algorithm manages to subtract the doublet signal and reproduce the key features of the monochromated He-I$\alpha$ spectra in a physically sound manner that reliably reproduces quantifiable dispersion relations and quasiparticle lifetimes., Comment: 8 pages, 4 main figures, 3 appendix figures

We report a synthetic route to achieve high electron mobility at room temperature in epitaxial La:BaSnO$_3$/SrZrO$_3$ heterostructures prepared on several oxide substrates. Room-temperature mobilities of 157, 145, and 143 cm$^2$V$^{-1}$s$^{-1}$ are achieved for heterostructures grown on DyScO$_3$ (110), MgO (001), and TbScO$_3$ (110) crystalline substrates, respectively. This is realized by first employing pulsed laser deposition to grow at very high temperature the SrZrO$_3$ buffer layer to reduce dislocation density in the active layer, then followed by the epitaxial growth of an overlaying La:BaSnO$_3$ active layer by molecular-beam epitaxy. Structural properties of these heterostructures are investigated, and the extracted upper limit of threading dislocations is well below $1.0\times 10^{10}$cm$^{-2}$ for buffered films on DyScO$_3$, MgO, and TbScO$_3$ substrates. The present results provide a promising route towards achieving high mobility in buffered La:BaSnO$_3$ films prepared on most, if not all, oxide substrates with large compressive or tensile lattice mismatches to the film., Comment: 9 pages and 5 Figures in the Maintext. 3 pages and 3 Figures in the Supplementary Information

Strain-engineering is a powerful means to tune the polar, structural, and electronic instabilities of incipient ferroelectrics. KTaO3 is near a polar instability and shows anisotropic superconductivity in electron-doped samples. Here, we demonstrate growth of high quality KTaO3 thin films by molecular-beam epitaxy. Tantalum was provided by both a suboxide source emanating a TaO2 flux from Ta2O5 contained in a conventional effusion cell as well as an electron-beam-heated tantalum source. Excess potassium and a combination of ozone and oxygen (10 \% O3 + 90 \% O2) were simultaneously supplied with the TaO$_2$ (or tantalum) molecular beams to grow the KTaO$_3$ films. Laue fringes suggest that the films are smooth with an abrupt film/substrate interface. Cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy does not show any extended defects and confirms that the films have an atomically abrupt interface with the substrate. Atomic force microscopy reveals atomic steps at the surface of the grown films. Reciprocal space mapping demonstrates that the films, when sufficiently thin, are coherently strained to the SrTiO$_3$ (001) and GdScO$_3$ (110) substrates.

We report the use of suboxide molecular-beam epitaxy (S-MBE) to grow $\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ at a growth rate of ~1 ${\mu}$m/h with control of the silicon doping concentration from 5x10$^{16}$ to 10$^{19}$ cm$^{-3}$. In S-MBE, pre-oxidized gallium in the form of a molecular beam that is 99.98\% Ga$_2$O, i.e., gallium suboxide, is supplied. Directly supplying Ga2O to the growth surface bypasses the rate-limiting first step of the two-step reaction mechanism involved in the growth of $\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ by conventional MBE. As a result, a growth rate of ~1 ${\mu}$m/h is readily achieved at a relatively low growth temperature (T$_{sub}$ = 525 $^\circ$C), resulting in films with high structural perfection and smooth surfaces (rms roughness of < 2 nm on ~1 ${\mu}$m thick films). Silicon-containing oxide sources (SiO and SiO$_2$) producing an SiO suboxide molecular beam are used to dope the $\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ layers. Temperature-dependent Hall effect measurements on a 1 ${\mu}$m thick film with a mobile carrier concentration of 2.7x10$^{17}$ cm$^{-3}$ reveal a room-temperature mobility of 124 cm$^2$ V$^{-1}$ s$^{-1}$ that increases to 627 cm$^2$ V$^{-1}$ s$^{-1}$ at 76 K; the silicon dopants are found to exhibit an activation energy of 27 meV. We also demonstrate working MESFETs made from these silicon-doped $\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ films grown by S-MBE at growth rates of ~1 ${\mu}$m/h., Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, 2 pages supplementary materials

Exploiting the emerging nanoscale periodicities in epitaxial, single-crystal thin films is an exciting direction in quantum materials science: confinement and periodic distortions induce novel properties. The structural motifs of interest are ferroelastic, ferroelectric, multiferroic, and, more recently, topologically protected magnetization and polarization textures. A critical step towards heterostructure engineering is understanding their nanoscale structure, best achieved through real-space imaging. X-ray Bragg coherent diffractive imaging visualizes sub-picometer crystalline displacements with tens of nanometers spatial resolution. Yet, it is limited to objects spatially confined in all three dimensions and requires highly coherent, laser-like x-rays. Here we lift the confinement restriction by developing real-space imaging of periodic lattice distortions: we combine an iterative phase retrieval algorithm with unsupervised machine learning to invert the diffuse scattering in conventional x-ray reciprocal-space mapping into real-space images of polar and elastic textures in thin epitaxial films. We first demonstrate our imaging in PbTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices to be consistent with published phase-field model calculations. We then visualize strain-induced ferroelastic domains emerging during the metal-insulator transition in Ca2RuO4 thin films. Instead of homogeneously transforming into a low-temperature structure (like in bulk), the strained Mott insulator splits into nanodomains with alternating lattice constants, as confirmed by cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscopy. Our study reveals the type, size, orientation, and crystal displacement field of the nano-textures. The non-destructive imaging of textures promises to improve models for their dynamics and enable advances in quantum materials and microelectronics.

The Ruddlesden-Popper ($A_{n+1}B_{n}\text{O}_{3n+1}$) compounds are a highly tunable class of materials whose functional properties can be dramatically impacted by their structural phase $n$. The negligible energetic differences associated with forming a sample with a single value of $n$ versus a mixture of $n$ makes the growth of these materials difficult to control and can lead to local atomic-scale structural variation arising from small stoichiometric deviations. In this work, we present a Python analysis platform to detect, measure, and quantify the presence of different $n$-phases based on atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images in a statistically rigorous manner. We employ phase analysis on the 002 Bragg peak to identify horizontal Ruddlesden-Popper faults which appear as regions of high positive compressive strain within the lattice image, allowing us to quantify the local structure. Our semi-automated technique offers statistical advantages by considering effects of finite projection thickness, limited fields of view, and precise sampling rates. This method retains the real-space distribution of layer variations allowing for a spatial mapping of local $n$-phases, enabling both quantification of intergrowth occurrence as well as qualitative description of their distribution, opening the door to new insights and levels of control over a range of layered materials., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

Functional properties of transition-metal oxides strongly depend on crystallographic defects. In transition-metal-oxide electrocatalysts such as SrIrO3 (SIO), crystallographic lattice deviations can affect ionic diffusion and adsorbate binding energies. Scanning x-ray nanodiffraction enables imaging of local structural distortions across an extended spatial region of thin samples. Line defects remain challenging to detect and localize using nanodiffraction, due to their weak diffuse scattering. Here we apply an unsupervised machine learning clustering algorithm to isolate the low-intensity diffuse scattering in as-grown and alkaline-treated thin epitaxially strained SIO films. We pinpoint the defect locations, find additional strain variation in the morphology of electrochemically cycled SIO, and interpret the defect type by analyzing the diffraction profile through clustering. Our findings demonstrate the use of a machine learning clustering algorithm for identifying and characterizing hard-to-find crystallographic defects in thin films of electrocatalysts and highlight the potential to study electrochemical reactions at defect sites in operando experiments., Comment: 11 pages and 4 figures in main text, supporting information included

In its ground state, RuO2 was long thought to be an ordinary metallic paramagnet. Recent neutron and x-ray diffraction revealed that bulk RuO2 is an antiferromagnet (AFM) with TN above 300 K. Furthermore, epitaxial strain induces novel superconductivity in thin films of RuO2 below 2 K. Here, we present a resonant elastic x-ray scattering (REXS) study at the Ru L2 edge of the strained RuO2 films exhibiting the strain-induced superconductivity. We observe an azimuthal modulation of the 100 Bragg peak consistent with canted AFM found in bulk. Most notably, in the strained films displaying novel superconductivity, we observe a ~1 eV shift of the Ru eg orbitals to a higher energy. The energy shift is smaller in thicker, relaxed films and films with a different strain direction. Our results provide further evidence of the utility of epitaxial strain as a tuning parameter in complex oxides., Comment: 20 pages, 3 main figures, 3 supplementary figures

In condensed-matter systems, competition between ground states at phase boundaries can lead to significant changes in material properties under external stimuli, particularly when these ground states have different crystal symmetries. A key scientific and technological challenge is to stabilize and control coexistence of symmetry-distinct phases with external stimuli. Using BiFeO3 (BFO) layers confined between layers of the dielectric TbScO3 as a model system, we stabilize the mixed-phase coexistence of centrosymmetric and non-centrosymmetric BFO phases with antipolar, insulating and polar, semiconducting behavior, respectively at room temperature. Application of in-plane electric (polar) fields can both remove and introduce centrosymmetry from the system resulting in reversible, nonvolatile interconversion between the two phases. This interconversion between the centrosymmetric insulating and non-centrosymmetric semiconducting phases coincides with simultaneous changes in the non-linear optical response of over three orders of magnitude, a change in resistivity of over five orders of magnitude, and a change in the polar order. Our work establishes a materials platform allowing for novel cross-functional devices which take advantage of changes in optical, electrical, and ferroic responses., Comment: L Caretta and Y-T Shao contributed equally. 64 pages, 4 figures, 25 supplemental figures, 1 supplemental table

We observe a catalytic mechanism during the growth of III-O and IV-O materials by suboxide molecular-beam epitaxy ($S$-MBE). By supplying the molecular catalysts In$_2$O and SnO we increase the growth rates of Ga$_2$O$_3$ and In$_2$O$_3$. This catalytic action is explained by a metastable adlayer $A$, which increases the reaction probability of the reactants Ga$_2$O and In$_2$O with active atomic oxygen, leading to an increase of the growth rates of Ga$_2$O$_3$ and In$_2$O$_3$. We derive a model for the growth of binary III-O and IV-O materials by $S$-MBE and apply these findings to a generalized catalytic description for metal-oxide catalyzed epitaxy (MOCATAXY), applicable to elemental and molecular catalysts. We derive a mathematical description of $S$-MBE and MOCATAXY providing a computational framework to set growth parameters in previously inaccessible kinetic and thermodynamic growth regimes when using the aforementioned catalysis. Our results indicate MOCATAXY takes place with a suboxide catalyst rather than with an elemental catalyst. As a result of the growth regimes achieved, we demonstrate a Ga$_2$O$_3$/Al$_2$O$_3$ heterostructure with unrivaled crystalline quality, paving the way to the preparation of oxide device structures with unprecedented perfection.

The prospect of 2-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) possessing high mobility at room temperature in wide-bandgap perovskite stannates is enticing for oxide electronics, particularly to realize transparent and high-electron mobility transistors. Nonetheless only a small number of studies to date report 2DEGs in BaSnO3-based heterostructures. Here, we report 2DEG formation at the LaScO3/BaSnO3 (LSO/BSO) interface with a room-temperature mobility of 60 cm2/V s at a carrier concentration of 1.7x1013 cm-2. This is an order of magnitude higher mobility at room temperature than achieved in SrTiO3-based 2DEGs. We achieved this by combining a thick BSO buffer layer with an ex-situ high-temperature treatment, which not only reduces the dislocation density but also produces a SnO2-terminated atomically flat surface, followed by the growth of an overlying BSO/LSO interface. Using weak-beam dark field imaging and in-line electron holography technique, we reveal a reduction of the threading dislocation density, and provide direct evidence for the spatial confinement of a 2DEG at the BSO/LSO interface. Our work opens a new pathway to explore the exciting physics of stannate-based 2DEGs at application-relevant temperatures for oxide nanoelectronics., Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures

We report measurements demonstrating that when the Neel vector of the collinear antiferromagnet RuO2 is appropriately canted relative to the sample plane, the antiferromagnet generates a substantial out of plane damping-like torque. The measurements are in good accord with predictions that when an electric field, E is applied to the spin split band structure of RuO2 it can cause a strong transverse spin current even in the absence of spin-orbit coupling. This produces characteristic changes in all three components of the E induced torque vector as a function of the angle of E relative to the crystal axes, corresponding to a spin current with a well defined tilted spin orientation s approximately (but not exactly) parallel to the Neel vector, flowing perpendicular to both E and S. This angular dependence is the signature of an antiferromagnetic spin Hall effect with symmetries that are distinct from other mechanisms of spin-current generation reported in antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic materials.

We present a detailed analysis of the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity of a ferroelectric PbTiO3 thin film deposited in a composition-spread geometry enabling a continuous range of compositions from ~25% titanium-deficient to ~20% titanium-rich to be studied. By fitting the experimental results to the Debye model we deconvolve and quantify the two main phonon scattering sources in the system: ferroelectric domain walls (DWs) and point defects. Our results prove that ferroelectric DWs are the main agent limiting the thermal conductivity in this system, not only in the stoichiometric region of the thin film ([Pb]/[Ti]~1), but also when the concentration of cation point defects is significant (up to ~15%). Hence, DWs in ferroelectric materials are a source of phonon scattering at least as effective as point defects. Our results demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of using reconfigurable DWs to control the thermal conductivity in solid-state devices.

We measure the Shubnikov-de Haas effect in thin-film Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ grown on an (LaAlO$_3$)$_{0.29}$-(SrAl$_{1/2}$Ta$_{1/2}$O$_3$)$_{0.71}$ (LSAT) substrate. We detect all three known Fermi surfaces and extract the Fermi surface volumes, cyclotron effective masses, and quantum lifetimes. We show that the electronic structure is nearly identical to that of single-crystal Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, and that the quasiparticle lifetime is consistent with the Tc of comparably clean, single-crystal Sr$_2$RuO$_4$. Unlike single-crystal Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, where the quantum and transport lifetimes are roughly equal, we find that the transport lifetime is $1.3\pm0.1$ times longer than the quantum lifetime. This suggests that extended (rather than point) defects may be the dominant source of quasiparticle scattering in these films. To test this idea, we perform cross-sectional STEM and find that out-of-phase boundaries extending the entire thickness of the film occur with a density that is consistent with the quantum mean free path. The long quasiparticle lifetimes make these films ideal for studying the unconventional superconducting state in Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ through the fabrication of devices -- such as planar tunnel junctions and SQUIDs., Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures

The observation of replica bands by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has ignited interest in the study of electron-phonon coupling at low carrier densities, particularly in monolayer FeSe/SrTiO$_3$, where the appearance of replica bands has motivated theoretical work suggesting that the interfacial coupling of electrons in the FeSe layer to optical phonons in the SrTiO$_3$ substrate might contribute to the enhanced superconducting pairing temperature. Alternatively, it has also been recently proposed that such replica bands might instead originate from extrinsic final state losses associated with the photoemission process. Here, we perform a quantitative examination of replica bands in monolayer FeSe/SrTiO$_3$, where we are able to conclusively demonstrate that the replica bands are indeed signatures of intrinsic electron-boson coupling, and not associated with final state effects. A detailed analysis of the energy splittings between the higher-order replicas, as well as other self-energy effects, allow us to determine that the interfacial electron-phonon coupling in the system corresponds to a value of $\lambda = 0.19 \pm 0.02$., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

Transmission electron microscopes use electrons with wavelengths of a few picometers, potentially capable of imaging individual atoms in solids at a resolution ultimately set by the intrinsic size of an atom. Unfortunately, due to imperfections in the imaging lenses and multiple scattering of electrons in the sample, the image resolution reached is 3 to 10 times worse. Here, by inversely solving the multiple scattering problem and overcoming the aberrations of the electron probe using electron ptychography to recover a linear phase response in thick samples, we demonstrate an instrumental blurring of under 20 picometers. The widths of atomic columns in the measured electrostatic potential are now no longer limited by the imaging system, but instead by the thermal fluctuations of the atoms. We also demonstrate that electron ptychography can potentially reach a sub-nanometer depth resolution and locate embedded atomic dopants in all three dimensions with only a single projection measurement., Comment: 13 pages and 4 figures in the main text. Supplementary materials included

Transition metal oxides such as vanadium dioxide (VO$_2$), niobium dioxide (NbO$_2$), and titanium sesquioxide (Ti$_2$O$_3$) are known to undergo a temperature-dependent metal-insulator transition (MIT) in conjunction with a structural transition within their bulk. However, it is not typically discussed how breaking crystal symmetry via surface termination affects the complicated MIT physics. Using synchrotron-based x-ray spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction (LEED), low energy electron microscopy (LEEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and several other experimental techniques, we show that suppression of the bulk structural transition is a common feature at VO$_2$ surfaces. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations further suggest that this is due to inherent reconstructions necessary to stabilize the surface, which deviate the electronic structure away from the bulk d$^1$ configuration. Our findings have broader ramifications not only for the characterization of other "Mott-like" MITs, but also for any potential device applications of such materials.

This paper introduces a growth method---suboxide molecular-beam epitaxy (S-MBE)---which enables the growth of Ga2O3 and related materials at growth rates exceeding 1 micrometer per hours with excellent crystallinity in an adsorptioncontrolled regime. Using a Ga + Ga2O3 mixture with an oxygen mole fraction of x(O) = 0.4 as an MBE source, we overcome kinetic limits that had previously hampered the adsorption-controlled growth of Ga2O3 by MBE. We present growth rates up to 1.6 micrometer per hour for Ga2O3--Al2O3 heterostructures with unprecedented crystalline quality and also at unparalleled low growth temperature for this level of perfection. We combine thermodynamic knowledge of how to create molecular-beams of targeted suboxides with a kinetic model developed for the S-MBE of III-VI compounds to identify appropriate growth conditions. Using S-MBE we demonstrate the growth of phase-pure, smooth, and high-purity homoepitaxial Ga2O3 films that are thicker than 4 micrometer. With the high growth rate of S-MBE we anticipate a significant improvement to vertical Ga2O3-based devices. We describe and demonstrate how this growth method can be applied to a wide-range of oxides. S-MBE rivals leading synthesis methods currently used for the production of Ga2O3-based devices., Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures