Metallic and Insulating Oxide Interfaces Controlled by Electronic Correlations

Journal Article · Fri Feb 18 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Science (Washington, D.C.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1198781· OSTI ID:1020889

Jang, H W; Su, D; Jang, H W; Felker, D A; Bark, C W; Wang, Y; Niranjan, M K; Nelson, C T; Zhang, Y; Folkman, C M; Baek, S H; Lee, S; Janicka, K; Zhu, Y; Pan, X Q; Fong, D D; Tsymbal, E Y; Rzchowski, M S; Eom, C B

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) [RO 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: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Center for Functional Nanomaterials
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - OFFICE OF SCIENCE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-98CH10886
• OSTI ID: 1020889
• Report Number(s): BNL--94749-2011-JA
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.) Journal Issue: 6019 Vol. 331; ISSN SCIEAS; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
DECAY
DEPOSITION
ELECTRON CORRELATION
ELECTRONS
GASES
LANTHANUM
NEODYMIUM
OXIDES
PRASEODYMIUM
SAMARIUM
STRONTIUM TITANATES
SrTiO3
YTTRIUM
functional nanomaterials
strongly-correlated materials
two-dimensional electron gas