Activated kinetics of room-temperature-deposited SrTiO3 thin films investigated by reflection-high-energy-electron-diffraction-monitored annealing at different heating rates

Abstract

A series of reflection-high-energy-electron-diffraction-monitored annealings with different heating rates have been conducted on Strontium Titanate films deposited by laser ablation at room temperature. All the films exhibited a steep RHEED intensity rise above 660 degrees C during annealing with increasing temperature. The peak temperatures of the intensity derivatives were found to shift at different heating rates, suggesting an activated surface state transition. A Kissinger type plot of the peak temperatures showed an effective activation energy of 4 eV.