Domain structure of epitaxial SrRuO3 thin films

Growth of multidomains in epitaxial thin-film oxides is known to have a detrimental effect on some functional properties, and, thus, efforts are done to suppress them. It is commonly accepted that optimal properties of the metallic and ferromagnetic $\mathrm{SrRu}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (SRO) epitaxies can only be obtained if vicinal $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (001) (STO) substrates are used. It is believed that this results from the suppression of multidomain structure in the SRO film. Here we revise this important issue. Nanometric films of SRO have been grown on STO(001) vicinal substrates with miscut $({\ensuremath{\theta}}_{V})$ angles in the $\ensuremath{\sim}0.04\ifmmode^\circ\else\te…