seed projects

Vlad S. Pribiag, Bharat Jalan: Towards Mesoscopic Transport at Oxide Interfaces

A consequence of strong electron correlations is the emergence of unique quantum phases at the interfaces between transition metal oxides. The paradigmatic LaAlO₃/ SrTiO₃ interface is known to host an ultra-high-density electron gas (2DEG) with properties ranging from magnetism to large tunable spin-orbit coupling and robust superconductivity. To date transport experiments on oxide interfaces have primarily focused on the global properties of macroscopic samples. Yet, Scanning probe studies have identified considerable spatial variations in the electronic properties of interfaces at microscopic length scales.

Pribiag and Jalan will investigate electronic transport in laterally-confined oxide interface devices, using the novel oxide interface system NdTiO₃/SrTiO₃. Currently, there are no established methods to achieve highly-tunable electrostatic lateral confinement of complex oxide interfaces. Therefore, they will use quantum transport measurements as a powerful nanoscale probe of interface phenomena, while simultaneously developing the building blocks of future devices with new functionalities.

Transmission electron microscope image and band structure of a typical NdTiO₃/SrTiO₃ interface used for these studies.

Funded by the National Science Foundation through the University of Minnesota MRSEC under Award Number DMR-1420013