Reconstruction of the La0.9Sr0.1MnO3–SrTiO3 interface by quantitative high-resolution electron microscopy

Atomic displacements and interface reconstructions near a La0.9Sr0.1MnO3–SrTiO3 interface are studied by use of the focal reconstruction technique applied in high-resolution electron microscopy. By using a quantitative model, column positions are determined with high precision (better than 0.004 nm) by least-squares minimization. A displacement vector map and interatomic distances are calculated. From these a structure model for the interface is proposed. The interface has a facetted shape, where the interatomic distance is modulated. Possible local oxygen deficiency in SrTiO3 near the interface has been observed.