%0 Journal Article
%A Varela del Arco, María
%A Grogger, W.
%A Arias Serna, Diego
%A Sefrioui, Zouhair
%A León Yebra, Carlos
%A Vázquez, L.
%A Ballesteros, C.
%A Krishnan, K.M.
%A Santamaría Sánchez-Barriga, Jacobo
%T Effects of epitaxial strain on the growth mechanism in YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7-x) thin films in YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7-x)/PrBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7) superlattices
%D 2002
%@ 1098-0121
%U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/59616
%X We report on the growth mechanism of YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7-x). Our study is based on an analysis of ultrathin YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7-x) (YBCO) layers in c-axis-oriented YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7-x)/PrBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7)superlattices. We have found that the release of epitaxial strain in very thin YBCO layers triggers a change in the dimensionality of the growth mode. Ultrathin epitaxially strained YBCO layers with thickness below 3 unit cells grow in a blockby-block two -dimensional mode that is coherent over large lateral distances. Meanwhile, when the thickness increases and the strain relaxes, layer growth turns three-dimensional, resulting in rougher layers and interfaces.
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