Tunable one-dimensional electron gas carrier densities at nanostructured oxide interfaces

Zhang, Lipeng; Xu, Haixuan; Kent, Paul R. C.; Ganesh, Panchapakesan; Cooper, Valentino R.; Zhuang, Houlong L.

doi:10.1038/srep25452

Tunable one-dimensional electron gas carrier densities at nanostructured oxide interfaces

Journal Article · Fri May 06 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Scientific Reports

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/srep25452· OSTI ID:1255663

Zhang, Lipeng ^[1]; Xu, Haixuan ^[1]; Kent, Paul R. C. ^[2]; Ganesh, Panchapakesan ^[2]; Cooper, Valentino R. ^[2]; Zhuang, Houlong L. ^[2]

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

The emergence of two-dimensional metallic states at the LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ (LAO/STO) heterostructure interface is known to occur at a critical thickness of four LAO over layers. This insulator-to-metal transition can be explained through the polar catastrophe mechanism arising from the divergence of the electrostatic potential at the LAO surface. Here, we demonstrate that nanostructuring can be effective in reducing or eliminating this critical thickness. Employing a modified polar catastrophe" model, we demonstrate that the nanowire heterostructure electrostatic potential diverges more rapidly as a function of layer thickness than in a regular heterostructure. Our first principles calculations indicate that for nanowire heterostructure geometries a one-dimensional electron gas (1DEG) can be induced, consistent with recent experimental observations of 1D conductivity in LAO/STO steps. Similar to LAO/STO 2DEGs, we predict that the 1D charge density will decay laterally within a few unit cells away from the nanowire; thus providing a mechanism for tuning the carrier behavior between 1D and 2D conductivity. Furthermore, our work provides insight into the creation and manipulation of charge density at an oxide heterostructure interface and therefore may be beneficial for future nanoelectronic devices and for the engineering of novel quantum phases.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1255663

Journal Information:: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Vol. 6; ISSN 2045-2322

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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