SIMS investigation of chemical solution-deposited SrTiO3/LaNiO3

A chemical solution-deposited multilayer system of SrTiO3 (STO)/LaNiO3 (LNO)/Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si was investigated by dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Depth profiles of the main components were obtained, revealing intense diffusion processes which must have occurred during the deposition/crystallisation processes. Ti is found to diffuse into the LNO layer, where it either forms a second phase or is soluble. La diffuses into the above-lying STO phase. Ni penetrates the Pt layer and is found to cause a second maximum of the amu=60 signal within the TiO2 phase. At the surface of the sample as well as at the LNO/Pt and the TiO2/SiO2 interfaces, the Al signal shows a maximum, indicating a diffusion of Al from the substrate during synthesis of the multilayer system.