X-rays diffraction on a new chromium oxide single-crystal thin film prepared by molecular beam epitaxy

Chromium oxide films were prepared on MgO substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The crystalline structure of the films was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) with conventional as well as synchrotron X-ray sources. The theta-2 theta spectra showed that the film was a new chromium oxide epitaxially grown on MgO(00 1) substrate. The structure of the film was revealed to be body-centred orthorhombic both by reciprocal space mapping and synchrotron Q scans. The unit cell parameters were determined to be a = 8.94, b = 2.98 and c = 3.892 angstrom. The film had a 45 degrees in-plane orientation with respect to MgO substrate. The crystalline structure of the films was equivalent to a NaCl-type CrO with 1/3 Cr atoms vacating along MgO direction in an ordered way. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.