Growth mode of Sr1 − xCuO2 − y infinite-layer thin films

Abstract We have investigated the growth modes of Sr 1 − x CuO 2 − y infinite-layer (IL) thin films, grown by molecular-beam epitaxy combined with a mass-separated low-energy oxygen ion beam. Two-dimensional growth was observed both in simultaneous-deposition growth and in alternate-deposition growth. In the simultaneous-deposition growth, full coverage of the film over the substrate was confirmed by ion channeling, after a 2-unit-cell-layer (UCL) film was deposited on the substrate. In the alternate deposition growth, atomic layer-by-layer growth was shown by angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection high-energy electron diffraction. An alternate change in surface reconstruction was observed for the alternate-deposition growth, and structures of the reconstructed surfaces are discussed.