Imposed layer-by-layer growth with pulsed laser interval deposition

In order to create crystal structures by depositing consecutive atomic or unit-cell layers of different materials, a layer-bylayer growth mode is a prerequisite: nucleation of each next layer may only occur after the previous layer is completed. We introduced a growth method based on a periodic sequence: very fast deposition of the amount of material needed to complete one monolayer followed by an interval in which no deposition takes place and the ®lm can reorganize. This makes it possible to grow in a layer-by-layer fashion in a growth regime (temperature, pressure) where otherwise island formation would dominate the growth. Here, we present imposed layer-by-layer growth of homo-epitaxial SrTiO3 as monitored by highpressure re¯ection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). # 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved