This work combines several microscopies capable of atomic resolution to provide unprecedented insight into the structure of surfaces and interfaces during the layer-by-layer growth of BaTiO3 films on SrRuO3. This material (BaTiO3) is a classic ferroelectric material that spontaneously polarizes in one of several possible directions and the most common conducting oxide, and have been the subject of numerous investigations. By combining in situ measurements of in-plane surface structure, ex situ cross-sectional microscopy and spectroscopy, and first-principles simulations, we provide the first atomic scale structure of the SrRuO3 surface and its impact on the interface with several layers of BaTiO3. Surprisingly, the SrRuO3 surface, which had previously been thought to have ideal perovskite termination, is actually reconstructed at atomic length scales. This reconstruction increases the oxygen concentration and persists in the SrRuO3-BaTiO3 interface. This study presents a new archetype for identification of stoichiometry and interface structure in oxides, required for control of functional properties. |