The atomically smooth SrTiO(3) (100) with steps one unit cell in height was obtained by treating the crystal surface with a pH-controlled NH(4)F-HF solution. The homoepitaxy of SrTiO(3) film on the crystal surface proceeds in a perfect layer-by-layer mode as verified by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy. Ion scattering spectroscopy revealed that the TiO(2) atomic plane terminated the as-treated clean surface and that the terminating atomic layer could be tuned to the SrO atomic plane by homooepitaxial growth. This technology provides a well-defined substrate surface for atomically regulated epitaxial growth of such perovskite oxide films as YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta).

In Japanese children, INVM can be found by screening examinations at asymptomatic stage, and it might have a longer dinical course with gradually depressed left ventricular function and restrictive hemodynamics. The pattern of familial recurrence we observed implies that INVM is a distinctive clinical entity with a heterogeneous genetic background.

The atomically ultrasmooth surfaces with atomic steps of sapphire substrates were obtained by annealing in air at temperatures between 1000 and 1400 °C. The terrace width and atomic step height of the ultrasmooth surfaces were controlled on an atomic scale by changing the annealing conditions and the crystallographic surface of substrates. The obtained ultrasmooth surface was stable in air. The topmost atomic structure of the terrace was examined quantitatively by atomic force microscopy and ion scattering spectroscopy as well as a theoretical approach using molecular dynamics simulations.

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La 0.6 Sr 0.4 MnO 3 thin films were fabricated on SrTiO3 (001) substrates using pulsed laser deposition with observing persistent intensity oscillation of reflection high-energy electron diffraction. By atomic force microscopy, the surface of resulting films was confirmed to be extremely flat, showing atomically smooth terraces and 0.4 nm high steps corresponding to a unit cell height of perovskite. The surface terminating atomic layer was unambiguously assigned to the MnO2 layer by coaxial impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy. Crystal symmetry of the films is distorted into a tetragonal one due to the strain to fulfill perfect in-plane matching with the substrate even for films as thick as 100 nm. Even for films as thin as 4 nm (10 unit cells), ferromagnetic transition takes place to induce a metallic state and large negative magnetoresistance is observed as well.

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