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Study of disorder in pulsed laser deposited double perovskite oxides by first-principle structure prediction

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Banerjee, D 
Ebrahimi, F 
Barraud, C 

Abstract

jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pDouble perovskite oxides, with generalized formula Ajats:sub2</jats:sub>BBjats:inline-formulajats:alternativesjats:tex-math$$^{\prime}$$</jats:tex-math><mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> mml:msup <mml:mrow /> mml:mrow mml:mo′</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> </mml:math></jats:alternatives></jats:inline-formula>Ojats:sub6</jats:sub>, attract wide interest due to their multiferroic and charge transfer properties. They offer a wide range of potential applications such as spintronics and electrically tunable devices. However, great practical limitations are encountered, since a spontaneous order of the B-site cations is notoriously hard to achieve. In this joint experimental-theoretical work, we focused on the characterization of double perovskites Lajats:sub2</jats:sub>TiFeOjats:sub6</jats:sub> and Lajats:sub2</jats:sub>VCuOjats:sub6</jats:sub> films grown by pulsed laser deposition and interpretation of the observed B-site disorder and partial charge transfer between the B-site ions. A random structure sampling method was used to show that several phases compete due to their corresponding configurational entropy. In order to capture a representative picture of the most relevant competing microstates in realistic experimental conditions, this search included the potential formation of non-stoichiometric phases as well, which could also be directly related to the observed partial charge transfer. We optimized the information encapsulated in the potential energy landscape, captured via structure sampling, by evaluating both enthalpic and entropic terms. These terms were employed as a metric for the competition of different phases. This approach, applied herein specifically to Lajats:sub2</jats:sub>TiFeOjats:sub6</jats:sub>, highlights the presence of highly entropic phases above the ground state which can explain the disorder observed frequently in the broader class of double perovskite oxides.</jats:p>

Description

Keywords

34 Chemical Sciences, 3406 Physical Chemistry

Journal Title

npj Computational Materials

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2057-3960
2057-3960

Volume Title

7

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
Royal Society (WM150023)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P020259/1)