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- Title
Nanoscale control of an interfacial metal–insulator transition at room temperature.
- Authors
Cen, C.; Thiel, S.; Hammerl, G.; Schneider, C. W.; Andersen, K. E.; Hellberg, C. S.; Mannhart, J.; Levy, J.
- Abstract
Experimental and theoretical investigations have demonstrated that a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas (q-2DEG) can form at the interface between two insulators: non-polar SrTiO3 and polar LaTiO3 (ref. 2), LaAlO3 (refs 3–5), KTaO3 (ref. 7) or LaVO3 (ref. 6). Electronically, the situation is analogous to the q-2DEGs formed in semiconductor heterostructures by modulation doping. LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures have recently been shown to exhibit a hysteretic electric-field-induced metal–insulator quantum phase transition for LaAlO3 thicknesses of 3 unit cells. Here, we report the creation and erasure of nanoscale conducting regions at the interface between two insulating oxides, LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. Using voltages applied by a conducting atomic force microscope (AFM) probe, the buried LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface is locally and reversibly switched between insulating and conducting states. Persistent field effects are observed using the AFM probe as a gate. Patterning of conducting lines with widths of ∼3 nm, as well as arrays of conducting islands with densities >1014 inch−2, is demonstrated. The patterned structures are stable for >24 h at room temperature.
- Subjects
ELECTRON gas; TRANSITION temperature; METALLIC oxides; METAL insulator semiconductors; ELECTRIC conductivity; ATOMIC force microscopy
- Publication
Nature Materials, 2008, Vol 7, Issue 4, p298
- ISSN
1476-1122
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/nmat2136