Engineering two-dimensional superconductivity and Rashba spin-orbit coupling in LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ quantum wells by selective orbital occupancy

Effectively tuning the quantum Griffiths phase by controllable quantum fluctuations

Quantum Griffiths phase (QGP), marked by a quantum Griffiths singularity with a divergent effective critical exponent, has garnered considerable attention in the realm of superconductivity. However, the ability to control QGP remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that QGP at the LaAlO3/KTaO3(110) interface can be efficiently modulated by the orientation of applied magnetic field: With a perpendicular field, an anomalous QGP emerges in the low-temperature regime, characterized by a decreasing critical field as temperature lowers; conversely, with a parallel field, a normal QGP arises, where the critical field increases with decreasing temperature. Such opposite characteristics stem from the controllable quantum fluctuations and conductivity corrections under distinct magnetic field orientations. Furthermore, we show the effective tuning of the phase boundary by electrostatic gating, attributed to the gate-controlled quantum fluctuations. These findings not only demonstrate how to experimentally manipulate QGP but also provide a comprehensive understanding of how quantum fluctuations can effectively modulate QGP.

Advancing Superconductivity with Interface Engineering

The development of superconducting materials has attracted significant attention not only for their improved performance, such as high transition temperature (TC), but also for the exploration of their underlying physical mechanisms. Recently, considerable efforts have been focused on interfaces of materials, a distinct category capable of inducing superconductivity at non-superconducting material interfaces or augmenting the TC at the interface between a superconducting material and a non-superconducting material. Here, two distinct types of interfaces along with their unique characteristics are reviewed: interfacial superconductivity and interface-enhanced superconductivity, with a focus on the crucial factors and potential mechanisms responsible for enhancing superconducting performance. A series of materials systems is discussed, encompassing both historical developments and recent progress from the perspectives of technical innovations and the exploration of new material classes. The overarching goal is to illuminate pathways toward achieving high TC, expanding the potential of superconducting parameters across interfaces, and propelling superconductivity research toward practical, high-temperature applications.

Unidirectional Charge Orders Induced by Oxygen Vacancies on SrTiO3(001)

The discovery of high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas and low carrier density superconductivity in multiple SrTiO3-based heterostructures has stimulated intense interest in the surface properties of SrTiO3. The recent discovery of high-Tc superconductivity in the monolayer FeSe/SrTiO3 led to the upsurge and underscored the atomic precision probe of the surface structure. By performing atomically resolved cryogenic scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy characterization on dual-TiO2-δ-terminated SrTiO3(001) surfaces with (√13 × √13), c(4 × 2), mixed (2 × 1), and (2 × 2) reconstructions, we disclosed universally broken rotational symmetry and contrasting bias- and temperature-dependent electronic states for apical and equatorial oxygen sites. With the sequentially evolved surface reconstructions and simultaneously increasing equatorial oxygen vacancies, the surface anisotropy reduces and the work function lowers. Intriguingly, unidirectional stripe orders appear on the c(4 × 2) surface, whereas local (4 × 4) order emerges and eventually forms long-range unidirectional c(4 × 4) charge order on the (2 × 2) surface. This work reveals robust unidirectional charge orders induced by oxygen vacancies due to strong and delicate electronic-lattice interaction under broken rotational symmetry, providing insights into understanding the complex behaviors in perovskite oxide-based heterostructures.

Giant Tunability of Rashba Splitting at Cation-Exchanged Polar Oxide Interfaces by Selective Orbital Hybridization

The 2D electron gas (2DEG) at oxide interfaces exhibits extraordinary properties, such as 2D superconductivity and ferromagnetism, coupled to strongly correlated electrons in narrow d-bands. In particular, 2DEGs in KTaO3 (KTO) with 5d t2g orbitals exhibit larger atomic spin-orbit coupling and crystal-facet-dependent superconductivity absent for 3d 2DEGs in SrTiO3 (STO). Herein, by tracing the interfacial chemistry, weak anti-localization magneto-transport behavior, and electronic structures of (001), (110), and (111) KTO 2DEGs, unambiguously cation exchange across KTO interfaces is discovered. Therefore, the origin of the 2DEGs at KTO-based interfaces is dramatically different from the electronic reconstruction observed at STO interfaces. More importantly, as the interface polarization grows with the higher order planes in the KTO case, the Rashba spin splitting becomes maximal for the superconducting (111) interfaces approximately twice that of the (001) interface. The larger Rashba spin splitting couples strongly to the asymmetric chiral texture of the orbital angular moment, and results mainly from the enhanced inter-orbital hopping of the t2g bands and more localized wave functions. This finding has profound implications for the search for topological superconductors, as well as the realization of efficient spin-charge interconversion for low-power spin-orbitronics based on (110) and (111) KTO interfaces.

Robust topological superconductivity in spin-orbit coupled systems at higher-order van Hove filling

Van Hove singularities in proximity to the Fermi level promote electronic interactions and generate diverse competing instabilities. It is also known that a nontrivial Berry phase derived from spin-orbit coupling can introduce an intriguing decoration into the interactions and thus alter correlated phenomena. However, it is unclear how and what type of new physics can emerge in a system featured by the interplay between van Hove singularities (VHSs) and the Berry phase. Here, based on a general Rashba model on the square lattice, we comprehensively explore such an interplay and its significant influence on the competing electronic instabilities by performing a parquet renormalization group analysis. Despite the existence of a variety of comparable fluctuations in the particle-particle and particle-hole channels associated with higher-order VHSs, we find that the chiral p±ip pairings emerge as two stable fixed trajectories within the generic interaction parameter space, namely the system becomes a robust topological superconductor. The chiral pairings stem from the hopping interaction induced by the nontrivial Berry phase. The possible experimental realization and implications are discussed. Our work sheds new light on the correlated states in quantum materials with strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and offers fresh insights into the exploration of topological superconductivity.

Manipulation of Spin-Orbit Torque in Tungsten Oxide/Manganite Heterostructure by Ionic Liquid Gating and Orbit Engineering

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is the interaction between electron's spin and orbital motion, which could realize a charge-to-spin current conversion and enable an innovative method to switch the magnetization by spin-orbit torque (SOT). Varied techniques have been developed to manipulate and improve the SOT, but the role of the orbit degree of freedom, which should have a crucial bearing on the SOC and SOT, is still confusing. Here, we find that the charge-to-spin current conversion and SOT in W3O8-δ/(La, Sr)MnO3 could be produced or eliminated by ionic liquid gating. Through tuning the preferential occupancy of Mn/W-d electrons from the in-plane (dx2-y2) to out-of-plane (d3z2-r2) orbit, the SOT damping-like field efficiency is nearly doubled due to the enhanced spin Hall effect and interfacial Rashba-Edelstein effect. These findings not only offer intriguing opportunities to control the SOT for high-efficient spintronic devices but also could be a fundamental step toward spin-orbitronics in the future.

Enhanced Rashba Spin Orbit Coupling and Magnetic Behavior at Oxide Heterointerfaces by Optical Gating

Complex oxide heterointerfaces have been a hot research spot due to their rich physical phenomena and broad quantum coherence that respond to multiple external stimuli. Among these external stimuli, light is a very powerful one to manipulate properties such as carrier density and spin characteristics. However, achieving a light-magnetic correlation is in high demand for multifield responding devices, and its intrinsic mechanism remains unclear. Here, by illuminating Nd0.86Sr0.14Al0.86Ni0.14O3-SrTiO3 heterointerfaces using 360 nm light, we observe a series of interesting physical phenomena, like enhanced magnetoresistance (MR). More interestingly, a band splitting and strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effect occur after illumination, accompanied by a magnetic feature and thus leading to an anomalous Hall effect (AHE). Upon optical gating, the magnetism can be caused by Rashba SOC induced spin-orbit torque (SOT). The work will be sure to have great importance in both theoretical studies and all-oxide devices.

Valley-dimensionality locking of superconductivity in cubic phosphides

Two-dimensional superconductivity is primarily realized in atomically thin layers through extreme exfoliation, epitaxial growth, or interfacial gating. Apart from their technical challenges, these approaches lack sufficient control over the Fermiology of superconducting systems. Here, we offer a Fermiology-engineering approach, allowing us to desirably tune the coherence length of Cooper pairs and the dimensionality of superconducting states in arsenic phosphides AsxP1-x under hydrostatic pressure. We demonstrate how this turns these compounds into tunable two-dimensional superconductors with a dome-shaped phase diagram even in the bulk limit. This peculiar behavior is shown to result from an unconventional valley-dimensionality locking mechanism, driven by a delicate competition between three-dimensional hole-type and two-dimensional electron-type energy pockets spatially separated in momentum space. The resulting dimensionality crossover is further discussed to be systematically controllable by pressure and stoichiometry tuning. Our findings pave a unique way to realize and control superconducting phases with special pairing and dimensional orders.

Tuning of the magnetotransport properties of a spin-polarized 2D electron system using visible light

We report on the effects of visible light on the low temperature electronic properties of the spin-polarized two dimensional electron system (2DES) formed at the interfaces between LaAlO[Formula: see text], EuTiO[Formula: see text] and (001) SrTiO[Formula: see text]. A strong, persistent modulation of both longitudinal and transverse conductivity was obtained using light emitting diodes (LEDs) with emissions at different wavelengths in the visible spectrum range. In particular, Hall effect data show that visible light induces a non-volatile electron filling of bands with mainly 3d[Formula: see text] character, and at the same time an enhancement of the anomalous Hall effect associated to the magnetic properties of the system. Accordingly, a suppression of the weak-anti localization corrections to the magneto-conductance is found, which correlates with an enhancement of the spin-polarization and of the ferromagnetic character of 2DES. The results establish the LED-induced photo-doping as a viable route for the control of the ground state properties of artificial spin-polarized oxide 2DES.

Capping-layer-mediated lattice mismatch and redox reaction in SrTiO3-based bilayers

It is well known that the traditional two-dimensional electron system (2DES) hosted by the SrTiO₃substrate can exhibit diverse electronic states by modifying the capping layer in heterostructures. However, such capping layer engineering is less studied in the SrTiO₃-layer-carried 2DES (or bilayer 2DES), which is different from the traditional one on transport properties but more applicable to the thin-film devices. Here, several SrTiO₃bilayers are fabricated by growing various crystalline and amorphous oxide capping layers on the epitaxial SrTiO₃layers. For the crystalline bilayer 2DES, the monotonical reduction on the interfacial conductance, as well as carrier mobility, is recorded on increasing the lattice mismatch between the capping layers and epitaxial SrTiO₃layer. The mobility edge raised by the interfacial disorders is highlighted in the crystalline bilayer 2DES. On the other hand, when increasing the concentration of Al with high oxygen affinity in the capping layer, the amorphous bilayer 2DES becomes more conductive accompanied by the enhanced carrier mobility but almost constant carrier density. This observation cannot be explained by the simple redox-reaction model, and the interfacial charge screening and band bending need to be considered. Moreover, when the capping oxide layers have the same chemical composition but with different forms, the crystalline 2DES with a large lattice mismatch is more insulating than its amorphous counterpart, and vice versa. Our results shed some light on understanding the different dominant role in forming the bilayer 2DES using crystalline and amorphous oxide capping layer, which may be applicable in designing other functional oxide interfaces.

Light-Induced Giant Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling at Superconducting KTaO3 (110) Heterointerfaces

The 2D electron system (2DES) at the KTaO₃ surface or heterointerface with 5d orbitals hosts extraordinary physical properties, including a stronger Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC), higher superconducting transition temperature, and potential of topological superconductivity. Herein, a huge enhancement of RSOC under light illumination achieved at a superconducting amorphous-Hf_0.5 Zr_0.5 O₂ /KTaO₃ (110) heterointerfaces is reported. The superconducting transition is observed with T_c = 0.62 K and the temperature-dependent upper critical field reveals the interaction between spin-orbit scattering and superconductivity. A strong RSOC with B_so = 1.9 T is revealed by weak antilocalization in the normal state, which undergoes sevenfold enhancement under light illumination. Furthermore, RSOC strength develops a dome-shaped dependence of carrier density with the maximum of B_so = 12.6 T achieved near the Lifshitz transition point n_c ≈ 4.1 × 10¹³ cm^-2 . The highly tunable giant RSOC at KTaO₃ (110)-based superconducting interfaces show great potential for spintronics.

High-Mobility Magnetic Two-Dimensional Electron Gas in Engineered Oxide Interfaces

The engineered interfaces of complex oxides have abundant physical properties and provide a powerful platform for the exploration of fundamental physics and emergent phenomena. In particular, research on the two-dimensional magnetic systems with high mobility remains a long-standing challenge for the discovery of quantum phase and spintronic applications. Here, we introduce a few atomic layers of the delta doping layer at LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interfaces through elaborately controllable epitaxial growth of SrRuO₃. After inserting a SrRuO₃ buffer layer, the interfaces exhibit a well-defined anomalous Hall effect up to 100 K and their mobility is enhanced by 3 orders of magnitude at low temperatures. More intriguingly, a large unsaturated positive magnetoresistance is created at interfaces. Combining with the density functional theory calculation, we attribute our findings to the electron transfer at interfaces and the magnetic moment of Ru⁴⁺ 4d bands. The results pave a way for further research of two-dimensional ferromagnetism and quantum transport in all-oxide systems.

Experimental Evidence of t_{2g} Electron-Gas Rashba Interaction Induced by Asymmetric Orbital Hybridization

We report the control of Rashba spin-orbit interaction by tuning asymmetric hybridization between Ti orbitals at the LaAlO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} interface. This asymmetric orbital hybridization is modulated by introducing a LaFeO_{3} layer between LaAlO_{3} and SrTiO_{3}, which alters the Ti-O lattice polarization and traps interfacial charge carriers, resulting in a large Rashba spin-orbit effect at the interface in the absence of an external bias. This observation is verified through high-resolution electron microscopy, magnetotransport and first-principles calculations. Our results open hitherto unexplored avenues of controlling Rashba interaction to design next-generation spin orbitronics.

Manipulation of 2DEG at double-doped high-entropy heterointerfaces

Chemical doping is a dominating method for manipulating oxide two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). However, enhancing the doping level while maintaining the metallic conduction remains a challenge, which limits detailed knowledge of 2DEG manipulation. Herein, we propose a concept of high-entropy heterointerface, which consists of a complex oxide (containing at least 5 elements) at either or both sides of the interface. By doubly doping Sr and Mn elements in the Nd and Al sites of NdAlO₃, we grow Nd_1-xSr_xAl_1-xMn_xO₃ (NSAMO) films onto SrTiO₃ (STO) substrates to fabricate NSAMO/STO high-entropy heterointerfaces with different thicknesses (2-30 nm) and a wide range of doping ratios x (0.14-0.56). The 2DEG conducting behavior is maintained until x = 0.42, which is higher compared with similar studies. The varying x results in the coexistence of rich properties like a weak anti-localization (0.14-0.42), abnormal Hall effect (0.28 & 0.42), Lifshitz transition (0.42) and stable structure. These results confirm the potential of this strategy to tailor 2DEG in all-oxide interfaces.

Robust Electronic Structure of Manganite-Buffered Oxide Interfaces with Extreme Mobility Enhancement

The electronic structure as well as the mechanism underlying the high-mobility two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) at complex oxide interfaces remain elusive. Herein, using soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we present the band dispersion of metallic states at buffered LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ (LAO/STO) heterointerfaces where a single-unit-cell LaMnO₃ (LMO) spacer not only enhances the electron mobility but also renders the electronic structure robust toward X-ray radiation. By tracing the evolution of band dispersion, orbital occupation, and electron-phonon interaction of the interfacial 2DEG, we find unambiguous evidence that the insertion of the LMO buffer strongly suppresses both the formation of oxygen vacancies as well as the electron-phonon interaction on the STO side. The latter effect makes the buffered sample different from any other STO-based interfaces and may explain the maximum mobility enhancement achieved at buffered oxide interfaces.

Fully Optical Modulation of the Two-Dimensional Electron Gas at the γ-Al2O3/SrTiO3 Interface

Two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed at the heterointerface between two oxide insulators hosts plenty of emergent phenomena and provides new opportunities for electronics and photoelectronics. However, despite being long sought after, on-demand properties controlled through a fully optical illumination remain far from being explored. Herein, a giant tunability of the 2DEG at the interface of γ-Al₂O₃/SrTiO₃ through a fully optical gating is discovered. Specifically, photon-generated carriers lead to a delicate tunability of the carrier density and the underlying electronic structure, which is accompanied by the remarkable Lifshitz transition. Moreover, the 2DEG can be optically tuned to possess a maximum Rashba spin-orbit coupling, particularly at the crossing region of the sub-bands with different symmetries. First-principles calculations essentially well explain the optical modulation of γ-Al₂O₃/SrTiO₃. Our fully optical gating opens a new pathway for manipulating emergent properties of the 2DEGs and is promising for on-demand photoelectric devices.

Ferroelectric control of pseudospin texture in CuInP2S6monolayer

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) plays an important role in condensed matter physics and has potential applications in spintronics devices. In this paper, we study the electronic properties of ferroelectric CuInP₂S₆(CIPS) monolayer through first-principles calculations. The result shows that CIPS monolayer is a potential for valleytronics material and we find that the in-plane helical and nonhelical pseudospin texture are induced by the Rashba and Dresselhaus effect, respectively. The chirality of helical pseudospin texture is coupled to the out-of-plane ferroelectric polarization. Furthermore, a large spin splitting due to the SOC effect can be found atKvalley, which can be regarded as the Zeeman effect under a valley-dependent pseudomagnetic field. The CIPS monolayer with Rashbaet aleffects provides a good platform for electrically controlled spin polarization physics.

Reversible engineering of spin-orbit splitting in monolayer MoS2via laser irradiation under controlled gas atmospheres

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, manifesting strong spin-orbit coupling combined with broken inversion symmetry, lead to coupling of spin and valley degrees of freedom. These unique features make them highly interesting for potential spintronic and valleytronic applications. However, engineering spin-orbit coupling at room temperature as demanded after device fabrication is still a great challenge for their practical applications. Here we reversibly engineer the spin-orbit coupling of monolayer MoS2 by laser irradiation under controlled gas environments, where the spin-orbit splitting has been effectively regulated within 140 meV to 200 meV. Furthermore, the photoluminescence intensity of the B exciton can be reversibly manipulated over 2 orders of magnitude. We attribute the engineering of spin-orbit splitting to the reduction of binding energy combined with band renormalization, originating from the enhanced absorption coefficient of monolayer MoS2 under inert gases and subsequently the significantly boosted carrier concentrations. Reflectance contrast spectra during the engineering stages provide unambiguous proof to support our interpretation. Our approach offers a new avenue to actively control the spin-orbit splitting in transition metal dichalcogenide materials at room temperature and paves the way for designing innovative spintronic devices.

Display of Spin-Orbit Coupling at ReAlO3/SrTiO3 (Re = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Gd) Heterointerfaces

Complex oxide heterointerfaces provide a platform to manipulate spin-orbit coupling under the broken inversion symmetry. Moreover, their weak antilocalization (WAL) effect displays quantum coherent behavior due to the strong spin-orbit coupling. Herein, we break through the limitation of lattice mismatch at ReAlO₃/STO (Re = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Gd) heterointerfaces and obtain their two-dimensional electric gas (2DEG) by spin coating. The effect of different Re elements in the resulting quantum corrections on the conductivity is investigated. It is observed that the conductivity of heterointerfaces is reduced with larger atomic numbers due to the ionization potential of Re elements. Moreover, magnetoresistance (MR) measurements in a perpendicular or a parallel field distinctly uncover strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in ReAO/STO samples besides SAO/STO (Re = Sm) and GAO/STO (Re = Gd), and the effective fields of the SOC (H_so) gradually increase from LAO/STO (Re = La, H_so = 0.82 T) to NAO/STO (Re = Nd, H_so = 1.37 T) at 2 K. The competition between SOC scattering and inelastic scattering is revealed through a temperature-dependence study of MR, and the WAL-weak localization transition is at about 6 K. Furthermore, unambiguous results of the Kondo effect, nonlinear Hall, hysteresis loop, and Rashba SOC suggest the coexistence of WAL at the PAO/STO (Re = Pr) heterointerface with exchange coupling between the localized magnetic moment and the itinerant electron. These results pave a unique route for the exploration of spin-polarized 2DEGs at oxide heterointerfaces.

Band-Order Anomaly at the γ-Al2O3/SrTiO3 Interface Drives the Electron-Mobility Boost

The rich functionalities of transition-metal oxides and their interfaces bear an enormous technological potential. Its realization in practical devices requires, however, a significant improvement of yet relatively low electron mobility in oxide materials. Recently, a mobility boost of about 2 orders of magnitude has been demonstrated at the spinel-perovskite γ-Al₂O₃/SrTiO₃ interface compared to the paradigm perovskite-perovskite LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interface. We explore the fundamental physics behind this phenomenon from direct measurements of the momentum-resolved electronic structure of this interface using resonant soft-X-ray angle-resolved photoemission. We find an anomaly in orbital ordering of the mobile electrons in γ-Al₂O₃/SrTiO₃ which depopulates electron states in the top SrTiO₃ layer. This rearrangement of the mobile electron system pushes the electron density away from the interface, which reduces its overlap with the interfacial defects and weakens the electron-phonon interaction, both effects contributing to the mobility boost. A crystal-field analysis shows that the band order alters owing to the symmetry breaking between the spinel γ-Al₂O₃ and perovskite SrTiO₃. Band-order engineering, exploiting the fundamental symmetry properties, emerges as another route to boost the performance of oxide devices.

Effect of Rare Earth Elements at Amorphous ReAlO3/SrTiO3 (Re = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, and Tm) Heterointerfaces

Although the amorphous two-dimensional electron gas (a-2DEG) of oxides provides new opportunities to explore nanoelectronic as well as quantum devices, the intrinsic effect of rare earth (Re = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, and Tm) elements at ReAlO₃/SrTiO₃ heterointerfaces is still largely unknown and needs to be addressed systematically. Herein, we first propose that the ionization potential of Re elements is a critical factor for the 2DEG fabricated by chemical spin coating. Furthermore, the photoresponsive properties of heterointerfaces are investigated comprehensively with the ionization potential ranging from 35.79 to 41.69 eV. The results show that the sheet resistances significantly increase with increasing the ionization potential, and a resistance upturn phenomenon is observed at TmAlO₃/SrTiO₃ heterointerfaces, which can be attributed to the weak localization effect theoretically. The most important observation is the dramatic transition from negative (-178.3%, Re = La) to positive (+89.9%, Re = Gd) photoresponse at ReAlO₃/SrTiO₃ heterointerfaces under the irradiation of 405 nm light at 50 K. More remarkably, a unique recovery behavior of transient-persistent photoconductivity coexistence at low temperatures is discovered at the TmAlO₃/SrTiO₃ heterointerface. This work reveals an effective approach to tune the transport and photoresponsive properties by changing Re elements and paves the way for the application of all-oxide devices.

Rewritable High-Mobility Electrons in Oxide Heterostructure of Layered Perovskite/Perovskite

Perovskite oxide SrTiO₃ can be electron-doped and exhibits high mobility by introducing oxygen vacancies or dopants such as Nb or La. A reversible after-growth tuning of high mobility carriers in SrTiO₃ is highly desired for the applications in high-speed electronic devices. Here, we report the observation of tunable high-mobility electrons in layered perovskite/perovskite (Sr_n+1Ti_nO_3n+1/SrTiO₃) heterostructure. By use of Sr_n+1Ti_nO_3n+1 as the oxygen diffusion barrier, the oxygen vacancy concentration near the interface can be reversibly engineered by high-temperature annealing or infrared laser heating. Because of the identical elemental compositions (Sr, Ti, and O) throughout the whole heterostructure, interfacial ionic intermixing is absent, giving rise to an extremely high mobility (exceeding 55000 cm² V^-1 s^-1 at 2 K) in this type of oxide heterostructure. This layered perovskite/perovskite heterostructure provides a promising platform for reconfigurable high-speed electronic devices.

Long-Range Magnetic Order in Oxide Quantum Wells Hosting Two-Dimensional Electron Gases

To incorporate spintronics functionalities into two-dimensional devices, it is strongly desired to get two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) with high spin polarization. Unfortunately, the magnetic characteristics of the typical 2DEG at the LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interface are very weak due to the nonmagnetic character of SrTiO₃ and LaAlO₃. While most of the previous works focused on perovskite oxides, here, we extended the exploration for magnetic 2DEG beyond the scope of perovskite combinations, composing 2DEG with SrTiO₃ and NaCl-structured EuO that owns a large saturation magnetization and a fairly high Curie temperature. We obtained the 2DEGs that show long-range magnetic order and thus unusual behaviors marked by isotropic butterfly shaped magnetoresistance and remarkable anomalous Hall effect. We found evidence for the presence of more conductive domain walls than elsewhere in the oxide layer where the 2DEG resides. More than that, a relation between interfacial magnetism and carrier density is established. On this basis, the intermediate magnetic states between short-range and long-range ordered states can be achieved. The present work provides guidance for the design of high-performance magnetic 2DEGs.

Optical second harmonic generation from LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces with different in-plane anisotropies

Oxide growth with semiconductor-like accuracy allows the fabrication of atomically precise thin films and interfaces displaying a wide range of phases and functionalities that are absent in the corresponding oxide bulk materials. Among the other properties it was found that a two-dimensional electronic gas is formed under some circumstances at the LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃(0 0 1) interface separating two typical insulating perovskite crystals. The origin of this conducting state has been discussed at length, since different doping mechanisms can act in these material systems. Many experimental results point to the so-called polar catastrophe scenario as the principal mechanism driving the formation of the two-dimensional electronic gas. According to this mechanism, the existence of an interfacial polar discontinuity is the key ingredient to drive an electronic reconstruction at the LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃(0 0 1) interface and the consequent formation of a two-dimensional electron gas. This simple picture has been often questioned by the existence of material systems whose interface are predicted being non-polar according to the simplistic 'ionic' limit but that display an electrical behavior analogous to that of LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃(0 0 1) interfaces. This is the case of the LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃(1 1 0), i.e., a LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interface with a different in-plane orientation. It is evident that to solve such kind of controversies a detailed investigation of the polar or non-polar state of these interfaces is needed, although this is not simple for the lack of experimental tools that are specifically sensitive to interfacial polarity. Here we apply Optical Second Harmonic Generation to investigate LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interfaces with different in-plane orientations to bridge this gap. By comparing our results with recent theoretical findings, we will arrive to the conclusion that the real LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃(1 1 0) interface is strongly polar.

Ferroelectric Rashba semiconductors, AgBiP2X6 (X = S, Se and Te), with valley polarization: an avenue towards electric and nonvolatile control of spintronic devices

The electric and nonvolatile control of spin in semiconductors represents a fundamental step towards novel electronic devices. In this work, using first-principles calculations we investigate the electronic properties of AgBiP2X6 (X = S, Se, and Te) monolayers, which may be a new member of ferroelectric Rashba semiconductors due to the inversion symmetry breaking arising from the ferroelectric polarization, thus allowing for the electric control of spin. The AgBiP2X6 monolayers are dynamically and thermodynamically stable up to room temperature. In the AgBiP2Te6 monolayer, the calculated band structure reveals the direct band-gap semiconducting nature in the presence of highly mobile two-dimensional electron gas near the Fermi level. The inclusion of spin-orbit coupling yields the giant Rashba-type spin splitting with a Rashba parameter of 6.5 eV Å, which is even comparable to that of some known bulk Rashba semiconductors. Except for the Rashba-type spin splitting, spin-orbit coupling together with inversion symmetry breaking also gives rise to valley polarization located at the edge of the conduction bands. The strength of the Rashba-type spin splitting and location of the conduction band minimum can be significantly tuned by applying the in-plane biaxial strain. Also, we demonstrate that these remarkable features can be retained in the presence of the BN substrate. The coexistence of the Rashba-type spin splitting (in-plane spin direction) and band splitting at the K/K' valleys (out-of-plane spin direction) makes the AgBiP2Te6 monolayer interesting for spintronics and valleytronics.

Planar Hall effect and anisotropic magnetoresistance in polar-polar interface of LaVO3-KTaO3 with strong spin-orbit coupling

Among the perovskite oxide family, KTaO₃ (KTO) has recently attracted considerable interest as a possible system for the realization of the Rashba effect. In this work, we report a novel conducting interface by placing KTO with another insulator, LaVO₃ (LVO) and report planar Hall effect (PHE) and anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) measurements. This interface exhibits a signature of strong spin-orbit coupling. Our experimental observations of two fold AMR and PHE at low magnetic fields (B) is similar to those obtained for topological systems and can be intuitively understood using a phenomenological theory for a Rashba spin-split system. Our experimental data show a B² dependence of AMR and PHE at low magnetic fields that could also be explained based on our model. At high fields (~8 T), we see a two fold to four fold transition in the AMR that could not be explained using only Rashba spin-split energy spectra.

Two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at oxide interfaces is promising in modern electronic devices. Here, Wadehra et al. realize 2DEG at a novel interface composed of LaVO₃ and KTaO₃, where strong spin-orbit coupling and relativistic nature of the electrons in the 2DEG, leading to anisotropic magnetoresistance and planar Hall effect.

Gap suppression at a Lifshitz transition in a multi-condensate superconductor

In multi-orbital materials, superconductivity can exhibit several coupled condensates. In this context, quantum confinement in two-dimensional superconducting oxide interfaces offers new degrees of freedom to engineer the band structure and selectively control the occupancy of 3d orbitals by electrostatic doping. Here, we use resonant microwave transport to extract the superfluid stiffness of the (110)-oriented LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interface in the entire phase diagram. We provide evidence of a transition from single-condensate to two-condensate superconductivity driven by continuous and reversible electrostatic doping, which we relate to the Lifshitz transition between 3d bands based on numerical simulations of the quantum well. We find that the superconducting gap is suppressed while the second band is populated, challenging Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory. We ascribe this behaviour to the existence of superconducting order parameters with opposite signs in the two condensates due to repulsive coupling. Our findings offer an innovative perspective on the possibility to tune and control multiple-orbital physics in superconducting interfaces.

Erasable and recreatable two-dimensional electron gas at the heterointerface of SrTiO3 and a water-dissolvable overlayer

While benefiting greatly from electronics, our society also faces a major problem of electronic waste, which has already caused environmental pollution and adverse human health effects. Therefore, recyclability becomes a must-have feature in future electronics. Here, we demonstrate an erasable and recreatable two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), which can be easily created and patterned by depositing a water-dissolvable overlayer of amorphous Sr₃Al₂O₆ (a-SAO) on SrTiO₃ (STO) at room temperature. The 2DEG can be repeatedly erased or recreated by depositing the a-SAO or dissolving in water, respectively. Photoluminescence results show that the 2DEG arises from the a-SAO-induced oxygen vacancy. Furthermore, by gradually depleting the 2DEG, a transition of nonlinear to linear Hall effect is observed, demonstrating an unexpected interfacial band structure. The convenience and repeatability in the creation of the water-dissolvable 2DEG with rich physics could potentially contribute to the exploration of next generation electronics, such as environment-friendly or water-soluble electronics.

Interface-based tuning of Rashba spin-orbit interaction in asymmetric oxide heterostructures with 3d electrons

The Rashba effect plays important roles in emerging quantum materials physics and potential spintronic applications, entailing both the spin orbit interaction (SOI) and broken inversion symmetry. In this work, we devise asymmetric oxide heterostructures of LaAlO₃//SrTiO₃/LaAlO₃ (LAO//STO/LAO) to study the Rashba effect in STO with an initial centrosymmetric structure, and broken inversion symmetry is created by the inequivalent bottom and top interfaces due to their opposite polar discontinuities. Furthermore, we report the observation of a transition from the cubic Rashba effect to the coexistence of linear and cubic Rashba effects in the oxide heterostructures, which is controlled by the filling of Ti orbitals. Such asymmetric oxide heterostructures with initially centrosymmetric materials provide a general strategy for tuning the Rashba SOI in artificial quantum materials.

The two-dimensional electron gases that form at LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ heterostructure interfaces feature strong spin-orbit interactions, leading to proposed spintronic applications. Lin et al. show that the design of asymmetric heterostructures enables the Rashba spin-orbit interaction to be tuned between two regimes.

Photoinduced Rashba Spin-to-Charge Conversion via an Interfacial Unoccupied State

At interfaces with inversion symmetry breaking, the Rashba effect couples the motion of the electrons to their spin; as a result, a spin charge interconversion mechanism can occur. These interconversion mechanisms commonly exploit Rashba spin splitting at the Fermi level by spin pumping or spin torque ferromagnetic resonance. Here, we report evidence of significant photoinduced spin-to-charge conversion via Rashba spin splitting in an unoccupied state above the Fermi level at the Cu(111)/α-Bi_{2}O_{3} interface. We predict an average Rashba coefficient of 1.72×10^{-10}  eV m at 1.98 eV above the Fermi level, by a fully relativistic first principles analysis of the interfacial electronic structure with spin orbit interaction. We find agreement with our observation of helicity dependent photoinduced spin-to-charge conversion excited at 1.96 eV at room temperature, with a spin current generation of J_{s}=10^{6}  A/m^{2}. The present Letter shows evidence of efficient spin charge conversion exploiting Rashba spin splitting at excited states, harvesting light energy without magnetic materials or external magnetic fields.

Diluted Oxide Interfaces with Tunable Ground States

The metallic interface between two oxide insulators, such as LaAlO₃ /SrTiO₃ (LAO/STO), provides new opportunities for electronics and spintronics. However, due to the presence of multiple orbital populations, tailoring the interfacial properties such as the ground state and metal-insulator transitions remains challenging. Here, an unforeseen tunability of the phase diagram of LAO/STO is reported by alloying LAO with a ferromagnetic LaMnO₃ insulator without forming lattice disorder and at the same time without changing the polarity of the system. By increasing the Mn-doping level, x, of LaAl_{1- x} Mn_x O₃ /STO (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), the interface undergoes a Lifshitz transition at x = 0.225 across a critical carrier density of n_c = 2.8 × 10¹³ cm^-2 , where a peak T_SC ≈255 mK of superconducting transition temperature is observed. Moreover, the LaAl_{1- x} Mn_x O₃ turns ferromagnetic at x ≥ 0.25. Remarkably, at x = 0.3, where the metallic interface is populated by only d_xy electrons and just before it becomes insulating, a same device with both signatures of superconductivity and clear anomalous Hall effect (7.6 × 10¹² cm^-2 < n_s ≤ 1.1 × 10¹³ cm^-2 ) is achieved reproducibly. This provides a unique and effective way to tailor oxide interfaces for designing on-demand electronic and spintronic devices.

Unusual Electric and Optical Tuning of KTaO3-Based Two-Dimensional Electron Gases with 5d Orbitals

Controlling electronic processes in low-dimension electron systems is centrally important for both fundamental and applied researches. While most of the previous works focused on SrTiO₃-based two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs), here we report on a comprehensive investigation in this regard for amorphous-LaAlO₃/KTaO₃ 2DEGs with the Fermi energy ranging from ∼13 meV to ∼488 meV. The most important observation is the dramatic variation of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) as Fermi energy sweeps through 313 meV: The SOC effective field first jumps and then drops, leading to a cusp of ∼2.6 T. Above 313 meV, an additional species of mobile electrons emerges, with a 50-fold enhanced Hall mobility. A relationship between spin relaxation distance and the degree of band filling has been established in a wide range. It indicates that the maximal spin precession length is ∼70.1 nm and the maximal Rashba spin splitting energy is ∼30 meV. Both values are much larger than the previously reported ones. As evidenced by density functional theory calculation, these unusual phenomena are closely related to the distinct band structure of the 2DEGs composed of 5d electrons. The present work further deepens our understanding of perovskite conducting interfaces, particularly those composed of 5d transition-metal oxides.

Strain-induced indirect-to-direct bandgap transition in an np-type LaAlO3/SrTiO3(110) superlattice

By applying uniaxial in-plane strains, an indirect-to-direct bandgap transition occurs in the polar LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ (110) superlattices.

Interface Engineering and Emergent Phenomena in Oxide Heterostructures

Complex oxide interfaces have mesmerized the scientific community in the last decade due to the possibility of creating tunable novel multifunctionalities, which are possible owing to the strong interaction among charge, spin, orbital, and structural degrees of freedom. Artificial interfacial modifications, which include defects, formal polarization, structural symmetry breaking, and interlayer interaction, have led to novel properties in various complex oxide heterostructures. These emergent phenomena not only serve as a platform for investigating strong electronic correlations in low-dimensional systems but also provide potentials for exploring next-generation electronic devices with high functionality. Herein, some recently developed strategies in engineering functional oxide interfaces and their emergent properties are reviewed.

Majorana Fermions in One-Dimensional Structures at LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Oxide Interfaces

We study one-dimensional structures that may be formed at the LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 oxide interface by suitable top gating. These structures are modeled via a single-band model with Rashba spin-orbit coupling, superconductivity and a magnetic field along the one-dimensional chain. We first discuss the conditions for the occurrence of a topological superconducting phase and the related formation of Majorana fermions at the chain endpoints, highlighting a close similarity between this model and the Kitaev model, which also reflects in a similar condition the formation of a topological phase. Solving the model in real space, we also study the spatial extension of the wave function of the Majorana fermions and how this increases with approaching the limit condition for the topological state. Using a scattering matrix formalism, we investigate the stability of the Majorana fermions in the presence of disorder and discuss the evolution of the topological phase with increasing disorder.

Superconducting Tunneling Spectroscopy of Spin-Orbit Coupling and Orbital Depairing in Nb:SrTiO_{3}

We have examined the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling and orbital depairing in thin films of Nb-doped SrTiO_{3} by superconducting tunneling spectroscopy. The orbital depairing is geometrically suppressed in the two-dimensional limit, enabling a quantitative evaluation of the Fermi level spin-orbit scattering using Maki's theory. The response of the superconducting gap under in-plane magnetic fields demonstrates short spin-orbit scattering times τ_{so}≤1.1  ps. Analysis of the orbital depairing indicates that the heavy electron band contributes significantly to pairing. These results suggest that the intrinsic spin-orbit scattering time in SrTiO_{3} is comparable to those associated with Rashba effects in SrTiO_{3} interfacial conducting layers and can be considered significant in all forms of superconductivity in SrTiO_{3}.

High-Mobility Spin-Polarized Two-Dimensional Electron Gases at EuO/KTaO_{3} Interfaces

Two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) at oxide interfaces, which provide unique playgrounds for emergent phenomena, have attracted increasing attention in recent years. While most of the previous works focused on the 2DEGs at LaAlO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} interfaces, here we report on a new kind of 2DEGs formed between a magnetic insulator EuO and a high-k perovskite KTaO_{3}. The 2DEGs are not only highly conducting, with a maximal Hall mobility of 111.6  cm^{2}/V s at 2 K, but also well spin polarized, showing strongly hysteretic magnetoresistance up to 25 K and well-defined anomalous Hall effect up to 70 K. Moreover, unambiguous correspondences between the hysteretic behaviors of 2DEGs and the EuO layer are captured, suggesting the proximity effect of the latter on the former. This is confirmed by the results of density-functional theory calculations: Through interlayer exchange, EuO drives the neighboring TaO_{2} layer into a ferromagnetic state. The present work opens new avenues for the exploration for high performance spin-polarized 2DEGs at oxide interfaces.

Kondo effect with tunable spin-orbit interaction in LaTiO3/CeTiO3/SrTiO3 heterostructure

We have fabricated epitaxial films of CeTiO₃ (CTO) on (0 0 1) oriented SrTiO₃ (STO) substrates, which exhibit highly insulating and diamagnetic properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to establish the 3+  valence state of the Ce and Ti ions. Furthermore, we have also fabricated δ (CTO) doped LaTiO₃ (LTO)/SrTiO₃ thin films which exhibit variety of interesting properties including Kondo effect and spin-orbit interaction (SOI) at low temperatures. The SOI shows a non-monotonic behaviour as the thickness of the CTO layer is increased and is reflected in the value of characteristic SOI field ([Formula: see text]) obtained from weak anti-localization fitting. The maximum value of [Formula: see text] is 1.00 T for δ layer thickness of 6 u.c. This non-monotonic behaviour of SOI is attributed to the strong screening of the confining potential at the interface. The screening effect is enhanced by the CTO layer thickness and the dielectric constant of STO which increases at low temperatures. Due to the strong screening, electrons confined at the interface are spread deeper into the STO bulk where it starts to populate the Ti [Formula: see text] subbands; consequently the Fermi level crosses over from [Formula: see text] to the [Formula: see text] subbands. At the crossover region of [Formula: see text] where there is orbital mixing, SOI goes through a maximum.

Nonreciprocal Current in Noncentrosymmetric Rashba Superconductors

We study theoretically the nonreciprocal charge transport in two-dimensional noncentrosymmetric superconductors with the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. The resistivity R depends on the current I linearly under the external magnetic field B, i.e., R=R_{0}(1+γBI), which is called the magnetochiral anisotropy. It is found that the coefficient γ is gigantically enhanced by the superconducting fluctuation with the components of both spin singlet and triplet pairings, compared with that in the normal state. This finding offers a method to quantitatively estimate the ratio of the pairing interactions between the singlet and triplet channels including its sign.

Effect of Nb concentration on the spin-orbit coupling strength in Nb-doped SrTiO3 epitaxial thin films

Several oxide materials have attracted much interest for the application in spintronic devices due to unusual properties originating from the strongly correlated orbital and spin degrees of freedom. One missing part in oxide spintronics is a good spin channel featured by strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) which enables an efficient control of the electron’s spin. We have systematically investigated the dependence of the SOC strength of Sr(Nb_xTi_1−x)O₃ thin films on Nb concentration (n_Nb = 2~20 at. %) as a deeper exploration of a recent finding of the strong SOC in a heavily Nb-doped SrTiO₃ (Sr(Nb_0.2Ti_0.8)O₃) epitaxial film. Apart from a finding of a proportionality of the SOC to n_Nb, we have observed an intriguing temperature dependence of the SOC strength and the anisotropic magnetoresistance (MR) in the intermediate n_Nb region. These phenomena are associated with the temperature dependence of Landé g-factor and the change of the band structure, which is consistent with the result of density functional theory (DFT) calculation.

Direct imaging of the electron liquid at oxide interfaces

The breaking of symmetry across an oxide heterostructure causes the electronic orbitals to be reconstructed at the interface into energy states that are different from their bulk counterparts ¹ . The detailed nature of the orbital reconstruction critically affects the spatial confinement and the physical properties of the electrons occupying the interfacial orbitals^2-4. Using an example of two-dimensional electron liquids forming at LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interfaces^5,6 with different crystal symmetry, we show that the selective orbital occupation and spatial quantum confinement of electrons can be resolved with subnanometre resolution using inline electron holography. For the standard (001) interface, the charge density map obtained by inline electron holography shows that the two-dimensional electron liquid is confined to the interface with narrow spatial extension (~1.0 ± 0.3 nm in the half width). On the other hand, the two-dimensional electron liquid formed at the (111) interface shows a much broader spatial extension (~3.3 ± 0.3 nm) with the maximum density located ~2.4 nm away from the interface, in excellent agreement with density functional theory calculations.

Physics of SrTiO3-based heterostructures and nanostructures: a review

This review provides a summary of the rich physics expressed within SrTiO3-based heterostructures and nanostructures. The intended audience is researchers who are working in the field of oxides, but also those with different backgrounds (e.g., semiconductor nanostructures). After reviewing the relevant properties of SrTiO3 itself, we will then discuss the basics of SrTiO3-based heterostructures, how they can be grown, and how devices are typically fabricated. Next, we will cover the physics of these heterostructures, including their phase diagram and coupling between the various degrees of freedom. Finally, we will review the rich landscape of quantum transport phenomena, as well as the devices that elicit them.

Competition between electron pairing and phase coherence in superconducting interfaces

In LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures, a gate tunable superconducting electron gas is confined in a quantum well at the interface between two insulating oxides. Remarkably, the gas coexists with both magnetism and strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling. However, both the origin of superconductivity and the nature of the transition to the normal state over the whole doping range remain elusive. Here we use resonant microwave transport to extract the superfluid stiffness and the superconducting gap energy of the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface as a function of carrier density. We show that the superconducting phase diagram of this system is controlled by the competition between electron pairing and phase coherence. The analysis of the superfluid density reveals that only a very small fraction of the electrons condenses into the superconducting state. We propose that this corresponds to the weak filling of high-energy dxz/dyz bands in the quantum well, more apt to host superconductivity.

Link between the Superconducting Dome and Spin-Orbit Interaction in the (111) LaAlO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} Interface

We measure the gate voltage (V_{g}) dependence of the superconducting properties and the spin-orbit interaction in the (111)-oriented LaAlO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} interface. Superconductivity is observed in a dome-shaped region in the carrier density-temperature phase diagram with the maxima of superconducting transition temperature T_{c} and the upper critical fields lying at the same V_{g}. The spin-orbit interaction determined from the superconducting parameters and confirmed by weak-antilocalization measurements follows the same gate voltage dependence as T_{c}. The correlation between the superconductivity and spin-orbit interaction as well as the enhancement of the parallel upper critical field, well beyond the Chandrasekhar-Clogston limit, suggest that superconductivity and the spin-orbit interaction are linked in a nontrivial fashion. We propose possible scenarios to explain this unconventional behavior.

Giant Tunability of the Two-Dimensional Electron Gas at the Interface of γ-Al2O3/SrTiO3

Two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) formed at the interface between two oxide insulators provide a rich platform for the next generation of electronic devices. However, their high carrier density makes it rather challenging to control the interface properties under a low electric field through a dielectric solid insulator, that is, in the configuration of conventional field-effect transistors. To surpass this long-standing limit, we used ionic liquids as the dielectric layer for electrostatic gating of oxide interfaces in an electric double layer transistor (EDLT) configuration. Herein, we reported giant tunability of the physical properties of 2DEGs at the spinel/perovskite interface of γ-Al₂O₃/SrTiO₃ (GAO/STO). By modulating the carrier density thus the band filling with ionic-liquid gating, the system experiences a Lifshitz transition at a critical carrier density of 3.0 × 10¹³ cm^-2, where a remarkably strong enhancement of Rashba spin-orbit interaction and an emergence of Kondo effect at low temperatures are observed. Moreover, as the carrier concentration depletes with decreasing gating voltage, the electron mobility is enhanced by more than 6 times in magnitude, leading to the observation of clear quantum oscillations. The great tunability of GAO/STO interface by EDLT gating not only shows promise for design of oxide devices with on-demand properties but also sheds new light on the electronic structure of 2DEG at the nonisostructural spinel/perovskite interface.

Optical Manipulation of Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling at SrTiO3-Based Oxide Interfaces

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) plays a crucial role for spintronics applications. Here we present the first demonstration that the Rashba SOC at the SrTiO₃-based interfaces is highly tunable by photoinduced charge doping, that is, optical gating. Such optical manipulation is nonvolatile after the removal of the illumination in contrast to conventional electrostatic gating and also erasable via a warming-cooling cycle. Moreover, the SOC evolutions tuned by illuminations with different wavelengths at various gate voltages coincide with each other in different doping regions and collectively form an upward-downward trend curve: In response to the increase of conductivity, the SOC strength first increases and then decreases, which can be attributed to the orbital hybridization of Ti 3d subbands. More strikingly, the optical manipulation is effective enough to tune the interferences of Bloch wave functions from constructive to destructive and therefore to realize a transition from weak localization to weak antilocalization. The present findings pave a way toward the exploration of photoinduced nontrivial quantum states and the design of optically controlled spintronic devices.

Highly Mobile Two-Dimensional Electron Gases with a Strong Gating Effect at the Amorphous LaAlO3/KTaO3 Interface

Two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the perovskite oxide interface exhibits a lot of exotic properties, presenting a promising platform for the exploration of emergent phenomena. While most of the previous works focused on SrTiO₃-based 2DEG, here we report on the fabrication of high-quality 2DEGs by growing an amorphous LaAlO₃ layer on a (001)-orientated KTaO₃ substrate, which is a 5d metal oxide with a polar surface, at a high temperature that is usually adopted for crystalline LaAlO₃. Metallic 2DEGs with a Hall mobility as high as ∼2150 cm²/(V s) and a sheet carrier density as low as 2 × 10¹² cm^-2 are obtained. For the first time, the gating effect on the transport process is studied, and its influence on spin relaxation and inelastic and elastic scattering is determined. Remarkably, the spin relaxation time can be strongly tuned by a back gate. It is reduced by a factor of ∼69 while the gate voltage is swept from -25 to +100 V. The mechanism that dominates the spin relaxation is elucidated.

Off-Stoichiometry Driven Carrier Density Variation at the Interface of LaAlO3/SrTiO3

The interface between LaAlO₃ (LAO) and SrTiO₃ (STO) has attracted enormous interests due to its rich physical phenomena, such as metallic nature, magnetism and superconductivity. In this work, we report our experimental investigations on the influence of the LAO stoichiometry to the metallic interface. Taking advantage of the oxide molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technique, a series of high quality LAO films with different nominal La/Al ratios and LAO thicknesses were grown on the TiO₂-terminated STO substrates, where systematic variations of the LAO lattice constant and transport property were observed. In particular, the sheet density can be largely reduced by nearly an order of magnitude with merely about 20% increase in the nominal La/Al ratio. Our finding provides an effective method on tuning the electron density of the two-dimensional electron liquid (2DEL) at the LAO/STO interface.

Potential Fluctuations at Low Temperatures in Mesoscopic-Scale SmTiO3/SrTiO3/SmTiO3 Quantum Well Structures

Heterointerfaces of SrTiO₃ with other transition metal oxides make up an intriguing family of systems with a bounty of coexisting and competing physical orders. Some examples, such as LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃, support a high carrier density electron gas at the interface whose electronic properties are determined by a combination of lattice distortions, spin-orbit coupling, defects, and various regimes of magnetic and charge ordering. Here, we study electronic transport in mesoscale devices made with heterostructures of SrTiO₃ sandwiched between layers of SmTiO₃, in which the transport properties can be tuned from a regime of Fermi-liquid like resistivity (ρ ∝ T²) to a non-Fermi liquid (ρ ∝ T^5/3) by controlling the SrTiO₃ thickness. In mesoscale devices at low temperatures, we find unexpected voltage fluctuations that grow in magnitude as T is decreased below 20 K, are suppressed with increasing contact electrode size, and are independent of the drive current and contact spacing distance. Magnetoresistance fluctuations are also observed, which are reminiscent of universal conductance fluctuations but not entirely consistent with their conventional properties. Candidate explanations are considered, and a mechanism is suggested based on mesoscopic temporal fluctuations of the Seebeck coefficient. An improved understanding of charge transport in these model systems, especially their quantum coherent properties, may lead to insights into the nature of transport in strongly correlated materials that deviate from Fermi liquid theory.