Interface controlled electronic variations in correlated heterostructures

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how interface modifications in LCMO-BTO heterostructures significantly alter their magnetic, transport, and structural properties, highlighting the role of electronic correlations at perovskite interfaces.

Contribution

It reveals that interface engineering can control electronic and structural phases in correlated heterostructures, challenging simplified models of interface effects.

Findings

Interface modification changes magnetic and transport properties.

Structural phase shifts from orthorhombic to rhombohedral due to interface control.

Modified superlattices exhibit homogeneous electrical behavior.

Abstract

An interface modification of LCMO-BTO superlattices was found to massively influence magnetic and magnetotransport properties. Moreover it determines the crystal structure of the manganite layers, changing it from orthorhombic (Pnma) for the conventional superlattice (cSL), to rhombohedral (R-3c) for the modified one (mSL). While the cSL shows extremely nonlinear ac transport, the mSL is an electrically homogeneous material. The observations go beyond an oversimplified picture of dead interface layers and evidence the importance of electronic correlations at perovskite interfaces.