Predictive Control over Charge Density in the Two-Dimensional Electron Gas at the Polar-Nonpolar ${\mathrm{NdTiO}}_3/{\mathrm{SrTiO}}_3$ Interface

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.106803· OSTI ID:1345455

Xu, Peng; Ayino, Yilikal; Cheng, Christopher; Pribiag, Vlad S.; Comes, Ryan B.; Sushko, Peter V.; Chambers, Scott A.; Jalan, Bharat

Through systematic control of the Nd concentration, we show that the carrier density of the twodimensional electron gas (2DEG) in SrTiO3=NdTiO3=SrTiO3 ð001Þ can be modulated over a wide range. We also demonstrate that the NdTiO3 in heterojunctions without a SrTiO3 cap is degraded by oxygen absorption from air, resulting in the immobilization of donor electrons that could otherwise contribute to the 2DEG. This system is, thus, an ideal model to understand and control the insulator-to-metal transition in a 2DEG based on both environmental conditions and film-growth processing parameters.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1345455
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-123678; PRLTAO; 48341; KC0203020
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 117, Issue 10; ISSN 0031-9007
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory