Formation of defect-fluorite structured NdNiOxHy epitaxial thin films via a soft chemical route from NdNiO3 precursors

A new phase of oxyhydride NdNiOxHy with a defect-fluorite structure was obtained by a soft chemical reaction of NdNiO3 epitaxial thin films on a substrate of SrTiO3 (100) with CaH2. The epitaxial relationship of this phase relative to SrTiO3 could be controlled by changing the reaction temperature. At 240 degrees C, NdNiOxHy grew with a [001] orientation, forming a thin layer of infinite-layer NdNiO2 at the interface between the NdNiOxHy and the substrate. Meanwhile, a high-temperature reaction at 400 degrees C formed [110]-oriented NdNiOxHy without NdNiO2.