Congrats to FINO Lab alum Dr. Rajendra Paudel on his lead-author paper from his Ph.D. research in our group, which is out today in the Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A as an Editor’s Pick! It is also part of the Special Topic Collection Commemorating the Career of Fred Walker, who has been a leader in oxide MBE and oxide interfaces for many years. Thanks to the organizers of this special collection for inviting us to contribute!
In this work, Rajendra synthesized LaFeO3-LaNiO3 heterostructures and examined the band alignment and possible interfacial charge transfer in the materials using in vacuo X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory modeling. The theoretical and experimental results come out in excellent agreement, showing that the LaFeO3 valence band is pinned close to the Fermi level by a LaNiO3 underlayer. This lightly dopes the LaFeO3 layer with holes, which dramatically enhances the catalytic performance of the materials for the oxygen evolution reaction relative to the intrinsic material where the Fermi level is mid-gap. Andricus Burton and Prof. Byron Farnum in Auburn Chemistry led the catalytic measurements, while Prof. Marcelo Kuroda in Auburn Physics aided in the DFT modeling.
This work is funded by the National Science Foundation, Division of Materials Research, Solid State and Materials Chemistry program under award number DMR-1809847 with additional funding from EPSCOR.