@misc{FischerFoersterAballeetal., author = {Fischer, Simon and Foerster, Michael and Aballe, Lucia and Vonk, Vedran and Falta, Jens and Krisponeit, Jon-Olaf and Flege, Jan Ingo}, title = {Vanadium dioxide thin films on (100)- and (110)-oriented ruthenium dioxide islands}, series = {Verhandlungen der DPG}, journal = {Verhandlungen der DPG}, publisher = {Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft}, address = {Bad Honnef}, issn = {0420-0195}, pages = {330 -- 330}, abstract = {Bulk vanadium dioxide exhibits a metal-insulator transition at 68 ∘C. Because this change in resistivity is linked to a structural transition, the transition temperature can be tuned by epitaxial strain. Due to the high lattice mismatch of RuO2 with VO2, this substrate promises a highly shifted transition temperature, which enables new types of switching devices, smart coatings, and sensors. It is prepared by oxidizing a Ru(0001) crystal, providing micron-sized, (110)- as well as (100)-oriented RuO2 islands simultaneously. One of the challenges in preparing VO2 is to reliably meet the desired stoichiometry. We investigated the vanadium oxidation state using local XAS and XPS measurements taken at a synchrotron-based XPEEM instrument, revealing that VO2 stoichiometry is maintained throughout the entire film. This was found not only on RuO2(100) and RuO2(110), but also on the bare ruthenium substrate. The VO2 film thickness was determined to 3.6 nm by ex situ XRR measurements. Financial support from the DFG is acknowledged.}, language = {en} } @misc{FischerKrisponeitFoersteretal., author = {Fischer, Simon and Krisponeit, Jon-Olaf and Foerster, Michael and Aballe, Lucia and Falta, Jens and Flege, Jan Ingo}, title = {Massively Strained VO2 Thin Film Growth on RuO2}, series = {Crystal Growth \& Design}, volume = {20}, journal = {Crystal Growth \& Design}, number = {4}, issn = {1528-7483}, doi = {10.1021/acs.cgd.0c00120}, pages = {2734 -- 2741}, abstract = {Strain engineering vanadium dioxide thin films is one way to alter this material's characteristic first order transition from semiconductor to metal. In this study, we extend the exploitable strain regime by utilizing the very large lattice mismatch of 8.78\% occurring in the VO2/RuO2 system along the c axis of the rutile structure. We have grown VO2 thin films on single-domain RuO2 islands of two distinct surface orientations by atomic oxygen-supported reactive molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). These films were examined by spatially resolved photoelectron and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, confirming the correct stoichiometry. Low energy electron diffraction then reveals the VO2 films grow indeed fully strained on RuO2(110), exhibiting a previously unreported (2 × 2) reconstruction. On TiO2(110) substrates, we reproduce this reconstruction and attribute it to an oxygen-rich termination caused by the high oxygen chemical potential. On RuO2(100), on the contrary, the films grow fully relaxed. Hence, the presented growth method allows for simultaneous access to a remarkable strain window ranging from bulk-like structures to massively strained regions.}, language = {en} } @misc{FischerFlegeFoersteretal., author = {Fischer, Simon and Flege, Jan Ingo and Foerster, Michael and Aballe, Lucia and Falta, Jens and Krisponeit, Jon-Olaf}, title = {Strongly Strained VO2 Thin Film Growth}, series = {Verhandlungen der DPG - SurfaceScience21}, volume = {2021}, journal = {Verhandlungen der DPG - SurfaceScience21}, publisher = {Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft e.V.}, address = {Bad Honnef}, abstract = {The semiconductor-metal transition temperature of VO2 strongly shifts as a result of strain applied along the rutile c axis, making it interesting for various switching applications, as smart coatings and as sensors. In the past, this has been demonstrated, for instance, through the application of epitaxial strain on TiO2 substrates. We extend this tailoring approach by utilizing the much larger lattice mismatch of 8.78 \% occurring in the VO2/RuO2 system for orientations where the c axis lies in-plane. Depositing vanadium oxide by atomic oxygen-supported reactive MBE on an oxidized Ru(0001) template, we have grown VO2 thin films on single domain RuO2 islands with distinct orientations. Locally resolved electron spectroscopy was used to ascertain the correct stoichiometry of the grown VO2 films on all template island types. Low energy electron diffraction reveals the VO2 films to grow indeed fully strained on RuO2(110) but fully relaxed on RuO2(100). Hence, the presented template allows for simultaneous access to a remarkable strain window ranging from bulk-like structures to regions of massive tensile strain.}, language = {en} } @misc{TschammerBussPożarowskaetal., author = {Tschammer, Rudi and Buß, Lars and Pożarowska, Emilia and Morales, Carlos and Senanayake, Sanjaya D. and Prieto, Mauricio J. and Tănase, Liviu C. and de Souza Caldas, Lucas and Tiwari, Aarti and Schmidt, Thomas and Ni{\~n}o, Miguel A. and Foerster, Michael and Falta, Jens and Flege, Jan Ingo}, title = {High-temperature growth of CeOx on Au(111) and behavior under reducing and oxidizing conditions}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry C}, volume = {129}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry C}, number = {7}, publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)}, address = {Washington, DC}, issn = {1932-7447}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c08072}, pages = {3583 -- 3594}, abstract = {Inverse oxide-metal model catalysts can show superior activity and selectivity compared with the traditional supported metal-oxide architecture, commonly attributed to the synergistic overlayer-support interaction. We have investigated the growth and redox properties of ceria nanoislands grown on Au(111) between 700 and 890 °C, which yields the CeO2-Au(111) model catalyst system. We have observed a distinct correlation between deposition temperature, structural order, and oxide composition through low-energy electron microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, intensity-voltage curves, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Improved structural order and thermal stability of the oxide have been achieved by increasing the oxygen chemical potential at the substrate surface using reactive oxygen (O/O2) instead of molecular O2 during growth. In situ characterization under reducing (H2) and oxidizing atmospheres (O2, CO2) indicates an irreversible loss of structural order and redox activity at high reduction temperatures, while moderate temperatures result in partial decomposition of the ceria nanoislands (Ce3+/Ce4+) to metallic cerium (Ce0). The weak interaction between Au(111) and CeOx would facilitate its reduction to the Ce0 metallic state, especially considering the comparatively strong interaction between Ce0 and Au0. Besides, the higher reactivity of atomic oxygen promotes a stronger interaction between the gold and oxide islands during the nucleation process, explaining the improved stability. Thus, we propose that by driving the nucleation and growth of the ceria/Au system in a highly oxidizing regime, novel chemical properties can be obtained.}, language = {en} }