Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy Study of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Heterointerfaces

• Surface potential distributions in ultra-thin (0.8-3.9 nm) LaAlO3 layers deposited on SrTiO3 substrates are studied. It is found that the potential distribution evolves from island-like to a homogeneous one with increasing LaAlO3 thickness. It is suggested that the observed islands are caused by a locally enhanced concentration of mobile charge carriers at the interface that is, in turn, related to non-stoichiometry of the layers with thickness bellow 4 unit cells. Transition to a homogeneous potential distribution with increasing LAO thickness (≥4 unit cells) corresponds to the formation of a quasi-2-dimensional electron gas. The results agree with a percolation model explaining the insulator-to-metal transition that occurs at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterointerface.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Annan teknik -- Övrig annan teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Other Engineering and Technologies -- Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

LaAlO 3/SrTiO 3 Heterointerface

Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy

Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy; LaAlO 3/SrTiO 3 Heterointerface

Surfaces and interfaces

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