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Atomic resolution imaging of the strength and 3D direction of atomic displacements in functional oxide thin films

Ian Maclaren1,*, Aurys Silinga1, Juri Barthel2, Josee Kleibeuker3,4, Judith L MacManus-Driscoll3, Christopher S. Allen5,6, and Angus I. Kirkland5,6

  • 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
  • 2Ernst Ruska-Centre (ER-C 2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
  • 3Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 OFS, United Kingdom
  • 4DEMCON high tech systems Eindhoven BV, Kanaaldijk 29, 5683 CR Best, The Netherlands
  • 5electron Physical Science Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source Ltd., Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
  • 6Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH, United Kingdom

  • *Contact author: ian.maclaren@glasgow.ac.uk
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Phys. Rev. Materials 9, 094404 – Published 4 September, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/p6qm-hpvk

Abstract

Atomic resolution imaging is key to understanding thin film growth and how a particular set of conditions influences properties. Whilst such imaging in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has had a transformative impact in nanoscience, it forms projection images and provides no direct information about displacements perpendicular to the image plane. In this article, we show that it is possible to make atomic resolution maps of the direction and magnitude of La displacements at ∼30∘ to the imaging plane in a La2CoMnO6 thin film on (111) LSAT (LaAlO3−La(Sr,Ta)O3) using a four-dimensional STEM (4DSTEM) methodology. This reveals that the La modulation lies preferentially in the interface plane, and is strongly suppressed close to the epitaxial interface, and further reveals how the modulation varies with distance from the interface with unit cell resolution. These details would be completely invisible to all prior techniques in electron microscopy and this sheds light on why this particular substrate in this orientation best promotes double perovskite cation ordering, and the consequent optimal magnetic ordering for this thin film system. The approach used herein of fitting atomic resolution 4DSTEM data to determine crystal parameters opens the door for a new era of atomic-resolution crystallography.

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This article appears in the following collection:

New Insights into Functional Materials through Advanced Electron Microscopy

The Editors of Physical Review Materials are pleased to present the Collection on New Insights into Functional Materials through Advanced Electron Microscopy, highlighting cutting-edge microscopy techniques and the extraordinary advances in materials science and engineering that they enable. The Collection is being guest-edited by Joanne Etheridge from Monash University (Australia) and Yimei Zhu from Brookhaven National Laboratory (USA). Every article published in this collection underwent a rigorous peer review process, adhering to the same high standards applied to all papers. The Physical Review Materials editorial team managed the peer review and made all editorial decisions.

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Phys. Rev. Materials 9, 094404– Published 4 September, 2025
  • Received 25 March 2025
  • Revised 9 July 2025
  • Accepted 21 August 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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