$\sqrt{2}$$\times$$\sqrt{2}R45^\circ$ surface reconstruction and electronic structure of BaSnO$_3$ film

TL;DR

This study investigates the surface reconstruction and electronic structure of BaSnO$_3$ thin films using LEED and ARPES, revealing temperature-dependent surface phases and the influence of oxygen vacancies.

Contribution

It demonstrates the reversible $ oot2 imes oot2 R45^ ext{o}$ surface reconstruction of BaSnO$_3$ and links it to oxygen vacancy dynamics, enhancing understanding of its surface electronic properties.

Findings

Surface reconstructs to $ oot2 imes oot2 R45^ ext{o}$ at 700°C in UHV.

Reconstruction is reversible to 1$ imes$1 in oxygen atmosphere at 600°C.

Dispersive bands observed in ARPES indicate electronic structure changes with surface phases.

Abstract

We studied surface and electronic structures of barium stannate (BaSnO$_3$) thin-film by low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) techniques. BaSnO$_3$/Ba$_{0.96}$La$_{0.04}$SnO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ (10 nm/100 nm/0.5 mm) samples were grown using pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) method and were \emph{ex-situ} transferred from PLD chamber to ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chambers for annealing, LEED and ARPES studies. UHV annealing starting from 300$^{\circ}$C up to 550$^{\circ}$C, followed by LEED and ARPES measurements show 1$\times$1 surfaces with non-dispersive energy-momentum bands. The 1$\times$1 surface reconstructs into a $\sqrt{2}$$\times$$\sqrt{2}R45^\circ$ one at the annealing temperature of 700$^{\circ}$C where the ARPES data shows clear dispersive bands with valence band maximum located around 3.3 eV below Fermi level. While the $\sqrt{2}$$\times$$\sqrt{2}R45^\circ$ surface reconstruction is stable under further UHV annealing, it is reversed to 1$\times$1 surface by annealing the sample in 400 mTorr oxygen at 600$^{\circ}$C. Another UHV annealing at 600$^{\circ}$C followed by LEED and ARPES measurements, suggests that LEED $\sqrt{2}$$\times$$\sqrt{2}R45^\circ$ surface reconstruction and ARPES dispersive bands are reproduced. Our results provide a better picture of electronic structure of BaSnO$_3$ surface and are suggestive of role of oxygen vacancies in the reversible $\sqrt{2}$$\times$$\sqrt{2}R45^\circ$ surface reconstruction.