Atomic and Electronic Structure of the BaTiO3(001) (√5×√5)R26.6° Surface Reconstruction

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Penn collection
Departmental Papers (MSE)
Degree type
Discipline
Subject
Materials Science and Engineering
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
Distributor
Related resources
Author
Martirez, John Mark P
Morales, Erie H
Saidi, Wissam A
Contributor
Abstract

This contribution presents a study of the atomic and electronic structure of the (√5×√5)R26.6° surface reconstruction on BaTiO3 (001) formed by annealing in ultrahigh vacuum at 1300 K. Through density functional theory calculations in concert with thermodynamic analysis, we assess the stability of several BaTiO3 surface reconstructions and construct a phase diagram as a function of the chemical potential of the constituent elements. Using both experimental scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements, we were able to further narrow down the candidate structures, and conclude that the surface is either TiO2-Ti3/5, TiO2-Ti4/5, or some combination, where Ti adatoms occupy hollow sites of the TiO2 surface. Density functional theory indicates that the defect states close to the valence band are from Ti adatom 3d orbitals (≈1.4  eV below the conduction band edge) in agreement with scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements showing defect states 1.56±0.11  eV below the conduction band minimum (1.03±0.09  eV below the Fermi level). STM measurements show electronic contrast between empty and filled states’ images. The calculated local density of states at the surface shows that Ti 3d states below and above the Fermi level explain the difference in electronic contrast in the experimental STM images by the presence of electronically distinctive arrangements of Ti adatoms. This work provides an interesting contrast with the related oxide SrTiO3, for which the (001) surface (√5×√5)R26.6° reconstruction is reported to be the TiO2 surface with Sr adatoms.

Advisor
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Publication date
2012-12-20
Journal title
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Martirez, J. M. P., Morales, E. H., Saidi, W. A., Bonnell, D. A., Rappe, A. M. (2102). Atomic and Electronic Structure of the BaTiO3(001) (√5×√5)R26.6° Surface Reconstruction. Physical Review Letters, 109(25), 256802. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.256802 © 2012 American Physical Society
Recommended citation
Collection