Narrow growth window for stoichiometric, layer-by-layer growth of LaAlO3 thin films using pulsed laser deposition

We study the structure and surface morphology of the 100 nm homoepitaxial LaAlO3 films grown by pulsed laser deposition in a broad range of growth parameters. We show that there is a narrow window of growth conditions in which the stoichiometric, bulk-like structure is obtained while maintaining a 2-dimensional (2D) layer-by-layer growth mode. In our system, these optimum growth conditions are 100 mTorr background pressure with laser energy density 1.5-2 J/cm(2). The sensitivity to growth conditions of the stoichiometry and structure of LaAlO3 films can have a crucial role in the 2-D electron gas formed at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.