Defects in an ultrathin Au/La2/3Sr1/3MnO3/SrTiO3 (Au/LSMO/STO) heterostructure displaying electroresistive behavior were studied using variable energy positron annihilation spectroscopy. Vacancy-like defects were found to be the dominant positron traps in the LSMO and STO thin perovskite oxides with a number density >1017 cm−3 and 2 × 1017 cm−3 in the STO substrate. High defect density was revealed by strong positron trapping at the Au/LSMO interface. Oxygen deficiency in LSMO would be the main source of these traps. Besides, a low density of sub-nano voids of ∼6 Å was found in the substrate and in the thin LSMO/STO films.

Topics
Heterostructures, Crystallographic defects, Crystal structure, Epitaxy, Pulsed laser deposition, Positron annihilation spectroscopy, Thin films, Transmission electron microscopy, Nanoparticle, Particle beams
© 2011 American Institute of Physics.
2011
American Institute of Physics
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