Abstract
Dielectric diamagnetic LaAl1-xScxO3 (LASO) (x = 0 - 1) is proposed for the adjustment of the biaxial in-plane lattice parameter of oxide substrates in a wide range from 3.79 to 4.05 Å (6.5%). This range includes the pseudocubic lattice parameters of most of the currently investigated complex oxides. The in-plane lattice parameter of strain-relaxed LASO films depends linearly on composition, and they grow with a smooth surface. On several different LASO-buffered substrates, ferromagnetic La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) films have been grown in predetermined strain states. A series of 30 nm thick LSMO films on LASO-buffered LaSrAlO4(001) demonstrates that continuously controlled coherent strains in a wide range, in this case from -1% to +0.6%, can be obtained for the functional oxide films grown on LASO.
