Epitaxial and layer-by-layer growth of EuO thin films on yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia (001) using MBE distillation

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the successful epitaxial, stoichiometric, and layer-by-layer growth of EuO thin films on YSZ (001) using molecular beam epitaxy with Eu-distillation, enabling high-quality films for ex situ experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a Eu-distillation process during MBE to achieve stoichiometric EuO films and fine-tunes growth parameters for layer-by-layer deposition on YSZ (001).

Findings

Achieved epitaxial, stoichiometric EuO films on YSZ (001).

Developed a Eu-distillation growth method for EuO.

Produced smooth films suitable for ex situ experiments.

Abstract

We have succeeded in growing epitaxial and highly stoichiometric films of EuO on yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia (YSZ) (001). The use of the Eu-distillation process during the molecular beam epitaxy assisted growth enables the consistent achievement of stoichiometry. We have also succeeded in growing the films in a layer-by-layer fashion by fine tuning the Eu vs. oxygen deposition rates. The initial stages of growth involve the limited supply of oxygen from the YSZ substrate, but the EuO stoichiometry can still be well maintained. The films grown were sufficiently smooth so that the capping with a thin layer of aluminum was leak tight and enabled ex situ experiments free from trivalent Eu species. The findings were used to obtain recipes for better epitaxial growth of EuO on MgO (001).