Defects in epitaxially grown perovskite thin films

Defect structures of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric perovskite thin films epitaxially grown on (100)SeTiO3 Substrates by pulsed laser deposition were studied using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The major defects in the partially relaxed stoichiometric BaTiO3 thin films are misfit dislocations with Burgers vectors of the type a <100>, threading dislocations connected to that dislocation, and inclined threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of the type a <110>. On the other hand, nonstoichiometric perovskite films show quite unique defect structures. A-site-excess BaTiO3 thin filius were epitaxially grown with a Ruddlesden-Popper fault on the (100) plane and a multiple nano-twin lamella. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.