The initial growth of complex oxides: study and manipulation

In this thesis, the initial growth stage, i.e., nucleation and growth of the first few unit cell layers, of complex oxides was studied in real time during pulsed laser deposition (PLD). These studies were performed at their optimal epitaxial growth conditions, i.e., high temperature and high oxygen pressure, and revealed the kinetics in the homoepitaxial growth of SrTiO3 as well as the unexpected growth mechanisms in the heteroepitaxial growth of SrRuO3 and REBa2Cu3O7 (RE123, RE is Y or rare earth element) on SrTiO3. The outcome of these studies was utilized in growth manipulation by means of modified deposition schemes, i.e., pulsed laser interval deposition and sub-unit cell epitaxy.