Artificial superlattices consisting of multiferroic BiFeO₃ (BFO) and conductive LaNiO₃ (LNO) sublayers were epitaxial grown on SrTiO₃ (001) single crystal substrates by a RF magnetron sputtering system. X-ray reflectivity and high-resolution diffraction measurements were employed to characterize the microstructure of these films. Formation of a superlattice structure was confirmed from the appearance of Bragg peaks separated by Kiessig fringes in x-ray reflectivity curves and a diffraction pattern. The clearly discernible main feature and satellite features on both sides of the substrate about the (002) SrTiO₃ Bragg peak indicate the high quality of the BFO/LNO artificial superlattice structure formed on a SrTiO₃ substrate. Azimuthal scans of a superlattice film in the vicinity of a surface peak and the substrate Bragg peak that clearly exhibit a four-fold symmetry with the same orientation provide firm evidence for an epitaxial relation between the film and the substrate. The fitted result from x-ray reflectivity curves shows that the densities of the BFO and LNO sublayers are slightly less than their bulk values. X-ray measurements show that these superlattice films become subject to greater tensile stress along the -axis, increased compressive stress parallel to the surface plane and increased crystalline quality with increasing temperature of deposition.

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1. Fabrication of BiFeO₃/LaNiO₃ epitaxial superlattice structures by RF sputtering