The advantages of pulsed laser deposition for oxide film growth and of
molecular beam epitaxy for two-dimensional film growth were combined
to develop a method for atomically controlled layer-by-layer epitaxy o
f complex oxides and other ceramic thin films. This laser MBE method h
as been proved to be particularly useful for the purpose. Two-dimensio
nal molecular layer epitaxy has been verified by the clear observation
of RHEED intensity oscillations for the growth of various ceramics in
cluding perovskites, infinite-layer cuprates, rock salt oxides, corund
um, and fluorites on oxide substrates. Epitaxial growth of BaTiO3, BaO
and sapphire films was achieved even at such a low temperature as 20
degrees C. Some phenomena indicating novel quantum effects were observ
ed in high quality ZnO film and SrTiO3/SrVO3 superlattice, both fabric
ated by laser MBE. In view of the versatility and structure-sensitive
properties of oxides, lattice engineering by laser MBE is expected to
be a promising technology for opening a new field of oxide electronics
.