Influence of the ferroelastic twin domain structure on the {100} surface morphology of LaAlO3 HTSC substrates

LaAlO₃ crystals have been investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), high-precision X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning force microscopy (SFM). The DSC measurements show the second-order phase transition of LaAlO₃ at 544°C, where LaAlO₃ changes its symmetry from the cubic Pm3m high-temperature phase to the pseudocubic rhombohedral low-temperature phase. This paraelastic to improper ferroelastic phase transition causes twinning in the {100} and {110} planes of the pseudocubic lattice. The twin angles between the surface {100}_pseudocubic planes of twin domains were measured by SFM on the surface of a macroscopic (100)_cubic cut crystal plate. The misorientation angle ω₁₀₀ between {100} twins is 0.195(8)°, while {110} twinning gives an angle of ω₁₁₀=0.276(7)°. The two twin kink angles correspond to a rhombohedral angle of the pseudocubic cell of the phase as ₁=90.0973(40)° and ₂=90.0975(30)°, respectively. The XRD result for this rhombohedral angle is =90.096(1)°. The orientation of the misfit steps formed during annealing after mechanical surface polishing depends on the domain orientation and pattern during polishing. Any heating close to or above T_c changes the domain pattern. Footprints of previous domain patterns can thus be found on the surface in the form of surface corrugation and changes in the shape and orientation of misfit steps.