Nd 2-X Ce X CuO 4±delta/ Nd 2 CuO 4 Ultra-Thin Films Grown by DC Sputtering Technique

Epitaxial ultra-thin films of the electron-doped compound Nd2-xCexCuO4±δ (NCCO) have been fabricated by dc sputtering technique. The NCCO parent compound, namely Nd2CuO4, has been used as buffer layer to improve the crystalline properties because of the very small lattice parameter mismatch, as well as compatible depositions conditions, compared to NCCO. A deep morphological and structural characterization has been carried out on several samples, by means of surface analysis techniques and X-ray diffraction, in order to optimize the growth procedure.