Article abstract
Nature Materials 5, 556 - 560 (2006)
Published online: 18 June 2006 | doi:10.1038/nmat1675
Subject Categories: Ceramics | Electronic materials | Surface and thin films
Electronically coupled complementary interfaces between perovskite band insulators
Mark Huijben1, Guus Rijnders1, Dave H. A. Blank1, Sara Bals2, Sandra Van Aert2, Jo Verbeeck2, Gustaaf Van Tendeloo2, Alexander Brinkman1 & Hans Hilgenkamp1
Abstract
Perovskite oxides exhibit a plethora of exceptional properties, providing the basis for novel concepts of oxide-electronic devices. The interest in these materials is even extended by the remarkable characteristics of their interfaces. Studies on single epitaxial connections between the wide-bandgap insulators LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 have revealed them to be either high-mobility electron conductors or insulating, depending on the atomic stacking sequences. For device applications, as well as for a basic understanding of the interface conduction mechanism, it is important to investigate the electronic coupling of closely spaced complementary interfaces. Here we report the successful realization of such coupled interfaces in SrTiO3–LaAlO3 thin-film multilayer structures. We found a critical separation distance of six perovskite unit cell layers, corresponding to approximately 23 Å, below which a decrease of the interface conductivity and carrier density occurs. Interestingly, the high carrier mobilities characterizing the separate conducting interfaces are found to be maintained in coupled structures down to subnanometre interface spacing.
- Faculty of Science & Technology and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
- Electron Microscopy for Materials Research (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
Correspondence to: Dave H. A. Blank1 e-mail: d.h.a.blank@utwente.nl
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Oxide interfaces Watch out for the lack of oxygenNature Materials News and Views (01 Jul 2007)
Electron microscopy Interfaces under focusNature Materials News and Views (01 Mar 2006)
See all 7 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Why some interfaces cannot be sharpNature Materials Article (01 Mar 2006)
Magnetic effects at the interface between non-magnetic oxidesNature Materials Letter (01 Jul 2007)
See all 42 matches for Research
