Sr2Rh1-xRuxO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) composition-spread film growth on a temperature-gradient substrate by pulsed laser deposition

K2NiF4-type Sr2Rh1-xRuxO4 (0 less than or equal to X less than or equal to 1) composition-spread films were fabricated on (LaA1O(3))(0.3)-(Sr2AlTaO6)(0.7) (LSAT) substrate by using the combinatorial PLD method. From a temperature spread combinatorial deposition, Sr2RhO4 (x = 0) is found to grow epitaxially only in a narrow temperature range, i.e. 735 +/- 115 degreesC. By varying the composition and temperature along x and y axes of the substrate, respectively, two-dimensional (2D) libraries of Sr2Rh1-xRuxO4 (0 less than or equal to X less than or equal to 1) films were fabricated to map the growth temperature dependence of film crystallinity for the full range of x = 0-1. The optimum epitaxial growth temperature exhibited clear dependence on the compositional variation, x. From measurements of the electric conductivity of the films, metal-insulator-metal transitions were detected as the compositional parameter x increased from 0 to 1. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.