Epitaxial growth and electric characteristics of SrMoO3 thin films

Using computer-controlled pulsed laser deposition, high quality SrMoO3 thin films have been epitaxially grown on SrTiO3 (001) substrates. A growth int erruption technique was employed for better epitaxy, and layer-by-layer gro wth was obtained by the intensity oscillations of reflection high-energy el ectron diffraction. The films were of epitaxial crystallinity as characteri zed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The typical root m ean square surface roughness was 2.2 Angstrom. The SrMoO3 thin films showed metal-like conducting behavior with resistivity on the order of 60-120 mu Omega cm between 4 K and room temperature. An x-ray photoelectron spectrosc opy study shows that the valence band spectrum of the film has the typical character of a metal, and Mo 4dt(2g) electrons an responsible fur the condu ction of the films. (C) 2001 American Vacuum Society.