Processing of epitaxial LiMn₂O₄ thin film on MgO(110) through metalorganic precursor

Epitaxial LiMn₂O₄ was successfully synthesized by coating a [Li–Mn–O] metalorganic precursor solution onto MgO (110) substrates at temperatures as low as 350 °C. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that the orientation relationship between LiMn₂O₄ and MgO was (111) _{LiMn₂O₄} //(111) _MgO, (110) _{LiMn₂O₄} //(110) _MgO, and [112] _{LiMn₂O₄} //[112] _MgO, which resulted in the (111) _{LiMn₂O₄} planes growing perpendicular to the surface plane of MgO. The interface structure consisted of (111) layers of Mn atoms in the LiMn₂O₄ crystal aligned with the Mg atoms in the (111) planes of the MgO substrate when viewed along the [112] direction.