TiO2 as an electrostatic template for epitaxial growth of EuO on MgO(001) by reactive molecular beam epitaxy

摘要

We investigate the initial growth modes and the role of interfacialelectrostatic interactions of EuO epitaxy on MgO(001) by reactive molecularbeam epitaxy. A TiO2 interfacial layer is employed to produce high qualityepitaxial growth of EuO on MgO(001) with a 45{\deg} in plane rotation. Forcomparison, direct deposition of EuO on MgO, without the TiO2 layer shows amuch slower time evolution in producing a single crystal film. Conceptualarguments of electrostatic repulsion of like-ions are introduced to explain theincreased EuO quality at the interface with the TiO2 layer. It is shown thatultrathin EuO films in the monolayer regime can be produced on the TiO2 surfaceby substrate-supplied oxidation and that such films have bulk-like magneticproperties.