Characterization Tools for Ultrathin Metal Oxides

The aim of this article is to illustrate a number of the most common experimental techniques that are applied to the study of ultrathin oxides. We will provide a brief overview of each technique, including details unique to their application to oxides, as well as examples of their importance and recent advances, future challenges, and developments. This article is divided into two main sections: (i) Structure Determination Methods and (ii) Spectroscopic Tools, although of course these two are often combined within the same instruments and indeed many techniques can be considered to be spectro-microscopic in nature. We will cover the use of both low- and high-energy electrons as well as photons as probes of structure and composition. Scanning probe microscopy has contributed significantly to our understanding of oxide ultrathin films in the recent past, and also features in this article. Furthermore, we will focus on recent advances in characterization tools that have in-situ measurement abilities.