Oxide electronics

Abstract:

We report Mn K-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectra on La0.75Ca0.25MnO3 up to high momentum transfer across the metal-insulator (M-I) transition. The data show compelling evidence for (i) large or intermediate Jahn-Teller polarons (IJTP), characterized by an anomalous longer Mn-O bond (Δ R = 0.09 Å) in the metallic phase (T < 170K), and (ii) appearance of small JT polarons (SJTP) at T> 170K, characterized by a longer Mn-O bond (Δ R = 0.21 Å), which coexist with the IJTP above the M-I transition and has equal probability in the temperature range of colossal magnetoresistance. © 1998 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

The intrinsic stress of the Stranski-Krastanov system Ge/Si(001) was investigated in the range 700 1050 K. Characteristic stress features indicate that the relief of the misfit strain proceeds mainly in two steps: (i) by the formation of 3D islands on top of the Ge wetting layer and (ii) via misfit dislocations in larger 3D islands and upon their percolation. The temperature dependence of strain relief by 3D islands as well as their nucleation and growth behavior support a kinetic pathway for 3D islanding. © 1998 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

The structural properties of (Formula presented) were studied by x-ray synchrotron and neutron-powder diffraction as a function of temperature (Formula presented) K), and as a function of x-ray fluence at 15 and 20 K. The temperature evolution of the lattice parameters and of the superlattice reflections is consistent with the development of charge and orbital ordering below (Formula presented)180 K, followed by antiferromagnetic ordering below (Formula presented)140 K, similar to what was previously observed for (Formula presented). Below (Formula presented)120 K, the magnetic structure develops a ferromagnetic component along the (Formula presented) axis on the Mn ions. At low temperatures, a small ferromagnetic moment of 0.45(2)(Formula presented) oriented in the same direction appears on the Pr ions as well. The observation in (Formula presented) of significant lattice strain developing below (Formula presented) as well as the development of a ferromagnetic component to the magnetic structure at (Formula presented)120 K, can be interpreted in terms of the presence of ferromagnetic clusters with an associated lattice distortion from the average structure. At low temperatures, exposure to the x-ray beam produces a phase-segregation phenomenon, whereby the ferromagnetic droplets coalesce into larger aggregates. Further exposure results in a gradual melting of the charge-ordered phase and the formation of a second phase, recently shown to be a ferromagnetic metallic phase by Kiryukhin et al. [Nature (London) 386, 813 (1997)]. The ferromagnetic phase has a significantly smaller (Formula presented) lattice parameter and unit-cell volume (Formula presented) than that of the charge-ordered phase. © 1998 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

The strucure of the fast proton conductor Cs3H(SeO4)2 was investigated by high resolution neutron powder diffraction at 5, 300, 400 and 483K. The aim of this study was a precise localization of the hydrogen position and the determination of the hydrogen bond network to get insight into the mechanism of the proton conductivity and the phase transitions.

Abstract:

In this paper we report the observation of surface acoustic waves using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). As the STM's control electronics has a bandwidth limit in the kHz range, SAWs at typical frequencies of MHz to GHz cause a loss of contrast which can be clearly seen on an atomic scale. In order to access the amplitude and phase of a SAW, we introduced a heterodyning type STM, the scanning acoustic tunneling microscope (SATM). Contrary to the STM technique, the SATM measures snapshots of the state of oscillation. On the nanometer scale, two contributions to the phase and amplitude contrast are discussed. First, the SAWs phase delay gives a mainly linear dependence on the distance of the source. Second, the atomic oscillation trajectories within the SAW lead to a signal contribution that is made up of the shape of the oscillation trajectory and the local topography. On an atomic scale where the influence of the phase delay on the contrast can be neglected the oscillation trajectories of single surface atoms are studied. Finally, the atomically resolved phase and amplitude images are compared to simulated data.