Study of microstructure in SrTiO₃/Si by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

©2002 Materials Research Society. The original publication is available at: http://www.mrs.org/DOI: 10.1557/JMR.2002.0030Microstructure in the SrTiO₃/Si system has been studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and image simulations. SrTiO₃ grows heteroepitaxially on Si with the orientation relationship given by (001)STO//(001)Si and [100]STO//[110]Si. The lattice misfit between the SrTiO₃ thin films and the Si substrate is accommodated by the presence of interfacial dislocations at the Si substrate side. The interface most likely consists of Si bonded to O in SrTiO₃. The alternative presentation of Sr and Si atoms along the interface leads to the formation of 2× and 3× Sr configurations. Structural defects in the SrTiO₃ thin film mainly consist of tilted domains and dislocations