Interface chemistry and electrical properties of SrVO3/LaAlO3 heterostructures

SrVO3 films were grown by laser molecular beam epitaxy on LaAlO3 substrates . For a 10-nm-thick film, its resistivity could be reduced by a factor of 4 by inserting a single La-O atomic layer on an oxygen-annealed LaAlO3 subst rate. X-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements r evealed that oxygen defect concentrations could be varied significantly by controlling the substrate terminations, i.e., interface chemistry. It was s uggested that the interface chemistry could influence formation of extended defects and result in changes in electrical properties. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(01)04501-7].