Atomic-scale 3D imaging of individual dopant atoms in an oxide semiconductor

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32189-0
• Publication Date: 2022-08-15T11:21:29Z
• Authors: K. A. Hunnestad; C. Hatzoglou; Z. M. Khalid; P. E. Vullum; Z. Yan; E. Bourret; A. T. J. van Helv...; S. M. Selbach; D. Meier
• Keywords: Atomic units; Atom probe

Abstract The physical properties of semiconductors are controlled by chemical doping. In oxide semiconductors, small variations in the density dopant atoms can completely change local electric and magnetic responses caused their strongly correlated electrons. lightly doped systems, however, such difficult to determine as quantitative 3D imaging individual is a major challenge. We apply atom probe tomography resolve atomic sites that donors occupy band gap semiconductor Er(Mn,Ti)O 3 with nominal Ti concentration 0.04 at. %, map lattice positions, quantify spatial variations. Our work enables atomic-level studies structure-property relations complex oxides, which crucial understand control emergent dopant-driven quantum phenomena.