Molecular beam epitaxy of SrTiO_3 with a growth window

摘要

Many complex oxides with only nonvolatile constituents do not have a wide growth window in conventional molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) approaches, which makes it difficult to obtain stoichiometric films. Here it is shown that a growth window in which the stoichiometry is self-regulating can be achieved for SrTiO_3 films by using a hybrid MBE approach that uses a volatile metal-organic source for Ti, titanium tetra isopropoxide (TTIP). The growth window widens and shifts to higher TTIP/Sr flux ratios with increasing temperature, showing that it is related to the desorption of the volatile TTIP. We demonstrate stoichiometric, highly perfect, insulating SrTiO_3 films. The approach can be adapted for the growth of other complex oxides that previously were believed to have no wide MBE growth window.