Strain relaxation in buried SrRuO3 layer in (Ca1-xSrx)(Zr1-xRux)O3/SrRuO3/SrTiO3 system

A novel relaxation phenomenon occurs in buried SrRuO3 layers in strained (Ca1-xSrx)(Zr1-xRux)O-3/SrRuO3/SrTiO3 (001) thin film system. The lightly strained SrRuO3 buried layer is initially clamped by the SrTiO3 substrate. After a heavily strained (Ca1-xSrx)(Zr1-xRux)O-3 overlayer is deposited, localized strain relaxation develops in the buried layer. This is manifested by a crosshatch pattern of < 100 > corrugations on the surface, due to the slip of < 110 > {110} threading dislocations. The phenomenon can be controlled by tuning the growth kinetics and strain energy of the overlayer. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.