Local epitaxial growth of (Pr0.7Ca0.3)MnO3(Pr0.7Ca0.3)MnO3 thin films on (1 1 1)-oriented polycrystalline Pt electrodes

(Pr0.7Ca0.3)MnO3(Pr0.7Ca0.3)MnO3 (PCMO) thin films grown on (1  1 1)-oriented polycrystalline Pt electrodes deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at 300 and 600∘C were characterized. The crystallographic orientation of columnar-structured PCMO grains grown on a (111)-oriented Pt grain at 600∘C are clearly identified by using plan-view high-resolution transmission electron microscope imaging and a fast Fourier transform technique. Local epitaxial growth of PCMO(1 0 0) or (0 1 0)/Pt(1 1 1), PCMO(1 1 2)/Pt(1 1 1), and PCMO(1 0 2)/Pt(1 1 1) regulated by the three-fold in-plane orientation of the Pt(1 1 1) plane make coherent domain structures in the film, and the results of X-ray diffraction analysis suggested that the three local expitaxial growth forms can be controlled by adjusting the deposition temperature.