Influence of oxygen reduction on the structural and electronic properties of electron-doped Sr1-xLaxCuO2 thin films

TL;DR

This study investigates how oxygen reduction affects the structural and electronic properties of electron-doped Sr1-xLaxCuO2 thin films, revealing pathways to induce superconductivity through different reduction procedures.

Contribution

It compares in-situ and ex-situ oxygen reduction methods on epitaxial Sr1-xLaxCuO2 films and analyzes their effects on superconductivity and structural properties.

Findings

Oxygen reduction is essential to achieve superconductivity.

Different reduction procedures influence film properties distinctly.

Structural and electronic changes correlate with superconducting behavior.

Abstract

Single phase, c-axis oriented, e-doped, Sr1-xLaxCuO2 thin films were epitaxially grown on KTaO3 and DyScO3 substrates by reactive rf sputtering. As-grown films being insulating due to oxygen excess, oxygen reduction is necessary to observe superconductivity. Two different procedures were employed to reach superconductivity. On one hand an in-situ reduction process was conducted on a series of films deposited on both types of substrates. On the other hand, an ex-situ reduction procedure was performed sequentially on a single film deposited on DyScO3. The study of the influence of oxygen reduction on the structural and electronic properties of the thin films is presented and discussed.