A study of intermixing in perovskite superlattices by simulation-supported cs-corrected HAADF-STEM

In this paper, we present and interpret high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) images of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 superlattices. The images were taken in a probe-corrected (c(s) = 0) FEI microscope at 300 kV. We developed a simulation-based technique to evaluate possible intermixing at the interfaces via Z-contrast. The experimental and simulated image intensities across the interfaces are directly compared, where the gradients in the models are systematically varied. Different gradients in different sub-lattices at the interfaces can clearly be distinguished by a best fit criterion. [GRAPHICS] (C) 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim