The structure and chemistry of the a[100] edge-dislocation core in SrTiO3 was investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy. The dislocation core was found to be compact, with only a slight dissociation on the {100} plane. This indicated that the {100} antiphase boundary energy

was high. The shapes of the Ti-L2,3 edge and the O K edge slightly change in the dislocation core with respect to the bulk. In the core, the crystal-field splitting was decreased by 0.2–0.4eV while the L3/L2, the Ti/O, and the eg/t2g intensity ratios were increased. Structure models were proposed that exhibited a charged, O-deficient dislocation core. This was in good accord with previous plasticity experiments and impedance spectroscopy measurements.

Atomic and Electronic Characterization of the a[100] Dislocation Core in SrTiO3. Z.Zhang, W.Sigle, M.Rühle: Physical Review B, 2002, 66[9], 094108 (8pp)