Cation Ordering within the Perovskite Block of a Six-layer Ruddlesden-Popper Oxide from Layer-by-layer Growth

The (AO)(ABO$_{3})_{n}$ Ruddlesden-Popper structure is an archetypal complex oxide consisting of two distinct structural units, an (AO) rock salt layer separating an n-octahedra thick perovskite block. Conventional high-temperature oxide synthesis methods cannot access members with n $>$ 3, but low temperature layer-by-layer thin film methods allow the preparation of materials with thicker perovskite blocks, exploiting high surface mobility and lattice matching with the substrate. This presentation describes the growth of an n = 6 member CaO/(ABO$_{3})_{n}$ (ABO$_{3}$: CaMnO$_{3}$, La$_{0.67}$Ca$_{0.33}$MnO$_{3}$ or Ca$_{0.85}$Sm$_{0.15}$MnO$_{3})$ epitaxial single crystal films on the (001) SrTiO$_{3}$ substrates by pulsed laser deposition with the assistance of a reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED).