In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction observation of epitaxial LaNiO3 thin films

Epitaxial LaNiO3 (LNO) thin films were grown on (001) SrTiO3 substrates by laser molecular-beam epitaxy. The growth process of the LNO films was monitored by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). Clear RHEED patterns and the intensity oscillation of RHEED were observed during the epitaxial growth process. The morphology of the films was studied by atomic force microscopy. The results show that the films grown by this method have a nanoscale smooth surface with the root-mean-square surface roughness smaller than 7 nm on an area of 1 X 1 mu m(2). X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the crystalline LNO films exhibited preferred (00l) orientation. The resistivity of the thin film is 0.28 m Ohm cm at 278 K and 0.06 m Ohm cm at 80 K, respectively. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)00105-X].