Angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of topmost surface for LaNiO3 thin film grown on SrTiO3 substrate by laser molecular beam epitaxy

The LaNiO3 thin film was grown on SrTiO3 (001) substrate by computer-controlled laser molecular beam epitaxy (laser MBE). In situ monitoring of the growing film surface was performed with a reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). Angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS) indicated that the terminating plane of the LaNiO3 film was the LaO atomic plane, and the SrTiO3 (001) surfaces of as-supplied substrate as well as HF-pretreated substrate were predominantly terminated with TiO atomic plane. The structural conversion of the topmost atomic layer from NiO to LaO occurred during the LaNiO3 epitaxial growth process. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.