Adsorption-controlled growth of BiMnO3 films by molecular-beam epitaxy

Authors

• J. H. Lee, Cornell University
• X. Ke, Pennsylvania State University
• R. Misra, Pennsylvania State University
• J. F. Ihlefeld, Pennsylvania State University
• X. S. Xu, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Z. G. Mei, Pennsylvania State University
• T. Heeg, Cornell University
• M. Roeckerath, Research Centre Julich
• J. Schubert, Research Centre Julich
• Z. K. Liu, Pennsylvania State University
• J. L. Musfeldt, University of Tennessee
• P. Schiffer, Pennsylvania State University
• D. G. Schlom, Cornell UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2010

Citation

Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 262905 (2010)

Comments

Used by permission.

Abstract

We have developed the means to grow BiMnO₃ thin films with unparalleled structural perfection by reactive molecular-beam epitaxy and determined its band gap. Film growth occurs in an adsorption-controlled growth regime. Within this growth window bounded by oxygen pressure and substrate temperature at a fixed bismuth overpressure, single-phase films of the metastable perovskite BiMnO₃ may be grown by epitaxial stabilization. X-ray diffraction reveals phase-pure and epitaxial films with w rocking curve full width at half maximum values as narrow as 11 arc sec (0.003°). Optical absorption measurements reveal that BiMnO₃ has a direct band gap of 1.1±0.1 eV.