Integration of atomic layer deposition CeO2 thin films with functional complex oxides and 3D patterns

We present a low-temperature, <300 degrees C, ex-situ integration of atomic layer deposition (ALD) ultrathin CeO2 layers (3 to 5 unit cells) with chemical solution deposited La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) functional complex oxides for multilayer growth without jeopardizing the morphology, microstructure and physical properties of the functional oxide layer. We have also extended this procedure to pulsed laser deposited YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) thin films. Scanning force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and macroscopic magnetic measurements were used to evaluate the quality of the perovskite films before and after the ALD process. By means of microcontact printing and ALD we have prepared CeO2 patterns using an ozone-robust photoresist that will avoid the use of hazardous lithography processes directly on the device components. These bilayers, CeO2/LSMO and CeO2/YBCO, are foreseen to have special interest for resistive switching phenomena in resistive random-access memory. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.