Stoichiometry in epitaxial oxide thin films

The functional properties of complex transition metal oxides are very sensitive to details of the electronic structure and are thereby strongly influenced by the elemental composition and the presence of defects or lattice distortions. Therefore precise control over stoichiometry is one of the key challenges for the oxide thin-film growth community. In this chapter we address in detail the different physical mechanisms that impact both the oxygen and cation stoichiometry of thin films grown by physical vapor deposition. We further show how nonstoichiometry can be accommodated in the metal oxide lattice and give an overview of the impact of growth-induced nonstoichiometry on the functional properties of transition metal oxide thin films and heterostructures.