Fabrication of stress-induced SrRuO3 nanostructures by pulsed laser deposition

The compressive stress originated in the coherent epitaxial-SrRuO3/LaAlO3 interface has been used as a nano-patterning tool for the creation of island and wire arrays in ultrathin (<20 nm) SrRuO3 films. The nanostructure, stoichiometry, and electrical properties of these arrays have been studied by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Rutherford back-scattering spectroscopy and resistivity vs temperature measurements. The influence of the shadowing effect produced by the non-perpendicular incidence of the evaporated particles on the array morphology is discussed.