INTERFACE STABILITY AND THE GROWTH OF OPTICAL-QUALITY PEROVSKITES ON MGO

An understanding of heteroepitaxy between perovskite and alkaline eart h oxides is developed in terms of ion size and interfacial electrostat ics. Interfacial energy minimization at the first atomic layers is the basis for a commensurate, unit-cell stability. This unit-cell stabili ty presents the opportunity to study reduced dimensional or two-dimens ional phenomena in thin-film ferroelectrics and is the basis for growt h of high crystal quality, mum-thick films for optical device applicat ions.