‘Made to measure’ oxides could enable next generation electronic devices

However, because it is difficult to control the growth of complex oxides at the atomic level, new production methods need to be found and any defects in the materials need to be minimised or eliminated. "Designing and growing new materials at the atomic scale are not yet 'made to measure' processes," said Professor Judith Driscoll, pictured, of the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy. "Over the past 15 years, we've made huge advances with making materials perfect at nanometre length scales, but we still can't easily understand things going on at the atomic scale. To make really perfect structures, you have to be able to control the number of atoms being deposited and to stop at the exact point that a single complete layer has been grown." Prof Driscoll, along with colleagues in Materials Science and the Department of Physics, has secured for PLD equipment that could enable materials to be 'made to measure'. The technique will provide the ability to measure film thicknesses to less than 1nm and to perform in situ chemical analysis to ensure the materials and surfaces have the intended chemical and electronic structures. "In addition to helping us build really useful things from oxides, this technology will help us to discover and explore the properties of new materials," added Driscoll. "It will take some long term thinking to see them transition to practical applications, but once we achieve control over these materials at the atomic scale, the practical applications will follow. We believe that such oxides could really revolutionise electronics."