Nature Communications (Sep 2016)
Hidden lattice instabilities as origin of the conductive interface between insulating LaAlO3 and SrTiO3
Abstract
The origin of interfacial conductivity between two insulating oxides, LaAlO3 and SrTiO3, remains elusive despite a long time research. Here, Lee et al. report atomic-scale observation of electron-gas formation for screening hidden ferroelectric-like lattice instabilities, discounting the role of polar catastrophe and cation intermixing.