Orientation-dependent surface composition of in situ annealed strontium titanate

TL;DR

This study investigates how the surface composition of niobium-doped strontium titanate varies with grain orientation using high-resolution X-ray photoelectron microscopy and diffraction techniques.

Contribution

It provides detailed, orientation-dependent surface chemistry characterization of SrTiO3:Nb using advanced microscopy and diffraction methods.

Findings

Surface composition varies with grain orientation.

Major surface terminations are identified for different orientations.

High spatial resolution surface chemistry data is obtained.

Abstract

The surface composition of polycrystalline niobium-doped strontium titanate (SrTiO3 : Nb) is studied using X-ray photoelectron emission microscopy (XPEEM) for many grain orientations in order to characterise the surface chemistry with high spatial resolution. The surface sensitivity is maximised by the use of soft X-ray synchrotron radiation (SR). The grain orientation is determined by electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD). Stereographic plots are used to show the correlation between surface composition and orientation for several grains. Predominant surface terminations are assigned to major orientations.