Understanding the concentration and distribution of oxygen defects is crucial for the physical properties of complex oxides. These defects, such as oxygen vacancies, can significantly influence n-type semiconducting behavior and magnetic responses, leading to new functionalities. However, observing these defects experimentally and conducting quantitative investigations at the atomic level has been a major challenge—until now.
Atom Probe Tomography emerges as a promising tool, allowing for the quantification of 3D chemical compositions with nanoscale spatial resolution, including light elements like oxygen.
For more details, refer to the original application note:
Advancing Oxide Semiconductors with Atom Probe Tomography.
In a recent study, Kasper Aas Hunnestad and team at Norwegian University of Science and Technology successfully demonstrated APT’s capability to provide accurate quantitative information about the 3D distribution of oxygen vacancies within oxide heterostructures. The study focused on ferroelectric LuFeO3 layers, separated by monolayers of ferrimagnetic LuFe2O4, revealing local variations in oxygen concentration and an accumulation of oxygen vacancies. The research offers new insights into the defect-property relationship in complex oxides, showing how oxygen defects correlate with and can enhance functional electric and magnetic responses.
Read the full application note to learn more!
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