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LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 are standard insulators, yet their atomically sharp interface can exhibit remarkable properties such as conductivity and magnetism. This study focuses on two distinct LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces. The "n-type" interface exhibits exciting behaviors, including superconductivity, while the "p-type" behaves as an insulator. First-principles theory reveals the asymmetry in carrier distribution at these interfaces, highlighting the unique quantum coupling between La and Ti atoms that influence electronic properties. These findings pave the way for new nanoscale materials and applications.
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A tale of two oxide interfaces Ti O Sr Al La John C. Tully, Yale University, DMR 0520495 LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 are ordinary insulators, but when an atomically sharp interface is formed between them, the interface can conduct, magnetize, or even superconduct. Control over such interface properties could lead to novel artificial nanoscale materials. Depending on precise atomic registry, there are in fact two distinct LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces. The “n-type” presents all the exciting behaviors while the “p-type” shows no conductivity or unusual behavior. First principles theory allows us to see and understand this asymmetry. On the left and right we show the carrier distributions about the interfaces. For the n-type, the carriers are bound to the interface so the interface is conducting. For p-type the carriers delocalize into the SrTiO3 substrate and the interface remains insulating. The unusual quantum coupling between La and Ti atoms that binds electrons at the n-type interface is general and applies to other oxide interfaces. Hanghui Chen, Alexie Kolpak and Sohrab Ismail-Beigi
