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Epitaxial growth and scanning tunneling microscopy of LiV$_2$O$_4$ thin films on SrTiO$_3$(111)
- Source :
- APL Mater. 11, 021109 (2023)
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- LiV$_2$O$_4$ is a mixed-valent spinel oxide and one of a few transition-metal compounds to host a heavy fermion phase at low temperatures. While numerous experimental studies have attempted to elucidate how its 3$d$ electrons undergo giant mass renormalization, spectroscopic probes that may provide crucial hints, such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), remain to be applied. A prerequisite is atomically flat and pristine surfaces, which, in the case of LiV$_2$O$_4$, are difficult to obtain by cleavage of small, three-dimensional crystals. We report the epitaxial growth of LiV$_2$O$_4$ thin films with bulklike properties on SrTiO$_3$(111) via pulsed laser deposition and stable STM imaging of the LiV$_2$O$_4$(111) surface. The as-grown films were transferred $ex$ $situ$ to a room-temperature STM, where subsequent annealing with optional sputtering in ultrahigh vacuum enabled compact islands with smooth surfaces and a hexagonal 1$\times$1 atomic lattice to be resolved. Our STM measurements provide insights into growth mechanisms of LiV$_2$O$_4$ on SrTiO$_3$(111), as well as demonstrate the feasibility of performing surface-sensitive measurements of this heavy fermion compound.<br />Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures + SM
Details
- Database :
- arXiv
- Journal :
- APL Mater. 11, 021109 (2023)
- Publication Type :
- Report
- Accession number :
- edsarx.2302.10852
- Document Type :
- Working Paper
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0140576