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arXiv · 0711.0813

Surface Effects on Oxide Heterostructures

U. Schwingenschloegl·C. Schuster
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Abstract

We report on surface effects on the electronic properties of interfaces in epitaxial LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ heterostructures. Our results are based on first-principles electronic structure calculations for well-relaxed multilayer configurations, terminated by an ultrathin LaAlO$_3$ surface layer. On varying the thickness of this layer, we find that the interface conduction states are subject to almost rigid band shifts due to a modified Fermi energy. Confirming experimental data, the electronic properties of heterointerfaces therefore can be tuned systematically by alterating the surface-interface distance. We expect that this mechanism is very general and applies to most oxide heterostructures.

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U. Schwingenschloegl, C. Schuster. 2007-11-06. Surface Effects on Oxide Heterostructures. https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075/81/17007

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