Epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanostructures obtained by polymer-assisted surface decoration (PASD)

We report on the preparation and characterization of a nanosystem deposited on (001)MgO substrates consisting of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) nanoinslands prepared by a new method derived from the polymer-assisted deposition, namely polymer-assisted surface decoration (PASD). The LSMO nanostructures were grown at 1100 °C for 4 min. under ambient atmosphere from a polymeric precursor solution. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements (2θ/ω and φ scans) show cube-on-cube epitaxial growth of the LSMO nanoislands on the (100)MgO substrate. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies have revealed the homogenous distribution of the nanoislands grown on the substrate surface. Statistical information, size, height and density of the nanoislands have been extracted from the AFM images. The TEM investigation of the LSMO/MgO interface reveals the presence of misfit dislocations.