View article

The structure and chemistry of the a [100] edge-dislocation core in SrTiO 3 was investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy. The dislocation core is found to be compact, with only a slight dissociation on the {100} plane. This indicates that the {100} antiphase boundary energy is high. The shapes of the Ti− L 2, 3 edge and the oxygen K edge slightly change in the dislocation core with respect to the bulk. In the core, the crystal-field splitting is decreased by 0.2–0.4 eV while the L 3/L 2, the Ti/O, and the e g/t 2 g intensity ratios are increased. Structure models are proposed that exhibit a charged, oxygen-deficient dislocation core. This is in good accord with previous plasticity experiments and impedance spectroscopy measurements.