Growth and structure of thin CuO films in epitaxy on STO(001)

CuO is monoclinic and exhibits two antiferromagnetic phases, a polar incommensurate antiferromagnetic and multiferroic (AF2) one below TN=230 K and a non-polar commensurate AF1 phase below TN=213 K. We will grow thin CuO films in epitaxy on STO(001), study the structure by GIXRD and correlate it with their properties. Magnetic properties of transition metal oxides depend on the super-exchange interaction, which is function of the structure. The key parameter here is the Cu-O-Cu bonding angle. We want to push up the ferroelectrics Curie temperature by epitaxially induced strains. Samples will be grown by a two steps process, MBE Cu deposition (in situ) followed by post-annealing in oxygen at atmospheric pressure (ex situ).