Direct Evidence For The Suppression Of Charge Stripes In Epitaxial La(1.67)Sr(0.33)Nio(4) Films

We have successfully grown epitaxial La(1.67)Sr(0.33)NiO(4) films with a small crystalline mosaic using pulsed laser deposition. With synchrotron radiation, the x-ray-diffraction peaks associated with charge stripes have been successfully observed for relatively thick films. Anomalies due to the charge-ordering transition have been examined using four-point probe resistivity measurements. X-ray scattering provides direct evidence for suppression of the stripe phase in thinner samples; the phase disappears for film thicknesses <= 2600 A. The suppression appears to be a result of shrinking the stripe phase domains. This may reflect the stripe phase progressing from nematic to isotropic.