Condensed-Matter Physics & Materials Science Seminar

Perovskite oxides remain a material class with properties that are still difficult to predict. Strong electron correlations, coupling between electron, lattice, spin and orbital degrees of freedoms, combined with the versatility of the structure itself, result in a wide range of properties and unique emergent phenomena that only occur at heterointerfaces. Understanding the origin of these properties is the first step to successfully control and tailor these materials for useful application. To that end, we utilize the scanning transmission electron microscope to characterize a number of titanate and nickelate compounds, in order to develop a link between the atomic structure and electrical/magnetic properties. Using real-space and diffraction techniques, we can probe the local atomic structures of thin film interfaces and quantum wells. We also continue the development of using quantitative STEM intensities for precise and accurate determination of 3D dopant atom configurations. Using variable detector angles, we demonstrate an improvement in 3D dopant locations on a test sample.