Metallic and insulating oxide interfaces controlled by electronic correlations.
The formation of two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) at complex oxide interfaces is directly influenced by the oxide electronic properties. We investigated how local electron correlations control the 2DEG by inserting a single atomic layer of a rare-earth oxide (RO) [R is lanthanum (La), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), samarium (Sm), or yttrium (Y)] into an epitaxial strontium titanate oxide (SrTiO{sub 3}) matrix using pulsed-laser deposition with atomic layer control. We find that structures with La, Pr, and Nd ions result in conducting 2DEGs at the inserted layer, whereas the structures with Sm or Y ions are insulating. Our local spectroscopic and theoretical results indicate that the interfacial conductivity is dependent on electronic correlations that decay spatially into the SrTiO{sub 3} matrix. Such correlation effects can lead to new functionalities in designed heterostructures.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF); David and Lucile Packard Fellowship
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1006277
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/MSD/JA-69225; TRN: US201105%%923
- Journal Information:
- Science, Vol. 331, Issue Jan. 2011
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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