Scanning electron microscopy observation in wide field of view for SrO/TiO2-terminated step-terrace structure formed on SrTiO3(001) single crystal surface

SrO-terminated terraces were formed along TiO2-terminated step edges by annealing (001) surfaces of SrTiO3 single crystal originally with step-terrace structure fully terminated at TiO2 atomic layer. The prepared step -terrace structure with the two different terminations were visualized in a wide field of view using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) under a low acceleration voltage of 1 kV and a short working distance of 2 mm. The different termination was clearly identified by an in-column secondary electron detector even in the wide -field region with dimensions of 30 (c) 30 over bar m2. As results, the uniformity of the step-terrace structure was found to be limited only at a localized area. The wide -field observation revealed that there exist many step-defects such as pinning of the step lines and wandering so large that it goes around to an opposite side. Step-defects were present in at least several for 30 (c) 30 over bar m2 sized observation areas with a probability of about 60 %.(c) 2023 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

By annealing the (001) surfaces of SrTiO3 single crystal with fully terminated TiO2 atomic layer, SrO-terminated terraces were formed along TiO2-terminated step edges. Using scanning electron microscopy, the step-terrace structures with different terminations were visualized, and the uniformity of the structures was found to be limited to localized areas with many step-defects.