Publication
Title
Two-dimensional electron systems in perovskite oxide heterostructures : role of the polarity-induced substitutional defects
Author
Abstract
The discovery of a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) at the interfaces of perovskite oxides such as LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 has motivated enormous efforts in engineering interfacial functionalities with this type of oxide heterostructures. However, the fundamental origins of the 2DES are still not understood, e.g., the microscopic mechanisms of coexisting interface conductivity and magnetism. Here we report a comprehensive spectroscopic investigation on the depth profile of 2DES-relevant Ti 3d interface carriers using depthand element-specific techniques like standing-wave excited photoemission and resonant inelastic scattering. We found that one type of Ti 3d interface carriers, which give rise to the 2DES are located within three unit cells from the n-type interface in the SrTiO3 layer. Unexpectedly, another type of interface carriers, which are polarity-induced Ti-on-Al antisite defects, reside in the first three unit cells of the opposing LaAlO3 layer (similar to 10 angstrom). Our findings provide a microscopic picture of how the localized and mobile Ti 3d interface carriers distribute across the interface and suggest that the 2DES and 2D magnetism at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface have disparate explanations as originating from different types of interface carriers.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Physical review materials / American Physical Society. - College Park, Md, 2017, currens
Publication
College Park, Md : American Physical Society , 2020
ISSN
2475-9953 [online]
DOI
10.1103/PHYSREVMATERIALS.4.115002
Volume/pages
4 :11 (2020) , 10 p.
Article Reference
115002
ISI
000592432200004
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
SOLARPAINT: Understanding the durability of light sensitive materials: transferring insights between solar cell physics and the chemistry of paintings.
Enabling science and technology through European electron microscopy (ESTEEM3).
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 05.01.2021
Last edited 08.12.2024
To cite this reference