On the Role of the Sr3−xCaxAl2O6 Sacrificial Layer Composition in Epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 Membranes

The possibility to fabricate freestanding single crystal complex oxide films has raised enormous interest to be integrated in next-generation electronic devices envisaging distinct and novel properties that can deliver unprecedented performance improvement compared to traditional semiconductors. The use of the water-soluble SrAlO (SAO) sacrificial layer to detach the complex oxide film from the growth substrate has significantly expanded the complex oxide perovskite membranes library. Nonetheless, the extreme water sensitivity of SAO hinders its manipulation in ambient conditions and restricts the deposition approaches to those using high vacuum. This study presents a pioneering study on the role of Ca-substitution in solution processed SAO (SrCaAlO with x ⩽ 3) identifying a noticeable improvement on surface film crystallinity preserving a smooth surface morphology while favoring the manipulation in a less-restricted ambient conditions. Then, the study focuses on the effect of the sacrificial composition on the subsequent ex situ deposition of LaSrMnO (LSMO) by pulsed laser deposition, to obtain epitaxial films with a variable degree of strain. Finally, epitaxial and strain-free LSMO membranes with metal-insulator transition at 290 K are delivered. This study offers a hybrid and versatile approach to prepare and easily manipulate crystalline perovskite oxide membranes by facilitating ex situ growth on SAO-based sacrificial layer.