Department of Physics and Astronomy: Publications and Other Research

 

Evgeny Tsymbal Publications

ORCID IDs

Tsymbal http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6728-5515

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2011

Citation

Science (February 18, 2011) 331(6019): 886-889

Comments

Copyright 2011, Association for the Advancement of Science. Used by permission

Abstract

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 (SrTiO3) 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 SrTiO3 matrix. Such correlation effects can lead to new functionalities in designed heterostructures.

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