Tuning the dead-layer behavior of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3/SrTiO3 via interfacial engineering

The dead-layer behavior, deterioration of the bulk properties in near-interface layers, restricts the applications of many oxide heterostructures. We present the systematic study of the dead-layer in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3/SrTiO3 grown by ozone-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Dead-layer behavior is systematically tuned by varying the interfacial doping, while unchanged with varied doping at any other atomic layers. In situ photoemission and low energy electron diffraction measurements suggest intrinsic oxygen vacancies at the surface of ultra-thin La0.67Sr0.33MnO3, which are more concentrated in thinner films. Our results show correlation between interfacial doping, oxygen vacancies, and the dead-layer, which can be explained by a simplified electrostatic model.