Determination of the interfacial structure of yba₂cu₃o₇/srruo₃thin-film heterostructures

The interfaces in c-axis-oriented of YBazCu₃O₇/SrRuO₃/yBa₂Cu₃O triple-layer films are investigated by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The atomic structure of the interface between the first YBa₂Cu₃O₇layer and the SrRuO₃layer is clarified by matching a series of experimental [010] images with corresponding calculated images. For the (001) interface a (001) BaO plane of YBa₂Cu₃O₇layer faces a RuO₂plane of the SrRO₃layer. Images along [100] of interface steps provide supporting evidence for this and allow the atomic details across the steps to be determined, where a (010) Cu-O plane connects to an SrO plane. This allows the surface plane of the YBa₂Cu₃O₇films to be determined. It consists of (001) BaO and (100) and (010) Cu-O planes.