Depth-resolved amorphization and nonuniformity in square-planar nickelate films
Superconducting nickelate films are typically fabricated via post-processing of a parent perovskite or Ruddlesden-Popper film, most commonly a high-temperature anneal in the presence of a strong reducing agent such as CaH2, which removes oxygen from the apical sites and facilitates a topotactic transformation to the superconducting phase. Achieving uniform and highly crystalline reduced films has posed a longstanding fabrication challenge. Using neutron reflectometry and SIMS, the authors reveal the interplay between reduction conditions, vertical uniformity, defect distribution, and amorphization of the film. They find evidence for decreased amorphization near the film/substrate interface and competition between crystal quality and vertical uniformity.
Authors
- Timothy Charlton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5443-8492)
- S. Middey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5893-0946)
- Amanda Huon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8356-0326)
- Andrew J. Caruana (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0715-5876)
- Julia A. Mundy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8454-0124)
- Jayakanth Ravichandran (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5030-9143)
- Hui Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0296-5204)
- Ariando Ariando (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0598-426X)
- Alexander J. Grutter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6876-7625)
- Mythili Surendran (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6020-5241)
- Purnima P. Balakrishnan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1426-669X)
- Qi Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1254-4131)
- Grace A. Pan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4512-1215)
- Hanjong Paik (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8363-4679)
- Charles M. Brooks (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9087-7321)
- CJ Kinane
- Dan Ferenc Segedin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7162-8100)
- Maria Bambrick-Santoyo
- Paige E. Quarterman
- Lin Er Chow
- Shin Muramoto
- Zhaoyang Luo
- Ranjan K. Patel
Institutions
- University of Southern California (US)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (US)
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (US)
- National University of Singapore (SG)
- California Southern University (US)
- Harvard University Press (US)
- National Institute of Standards (EG)
- Institute for Science and International Security (US)
- NIST Center for Neutron Research (US)
- Universitat Ramon Llull (ES)
- Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IN)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US)
- University of Oklahoma (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Physical Review Materials
- Published
- 2026-03-31
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1103/9ldc-sk6x
- Primary Topic
- Metallic Glasses and Amorphous Alloys
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Ministry of Education - Singapore
- Science and Engineering Research Board
- Basic Energy Sciences
- Army Research Office
- Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering