One-dimensional Quantum Wire Formed at the Boundary Between Two Insulating LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Interfaces

TL;DR

This paper reports the creation of a one-dimensional quantum wire at the boundary between two insulating LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces, demonstrating quantized conductance steps indicative of a 1D channel with unique spin properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to form a 1D quantum wire at the boundary of insulating oxide interfaces and observes quantized conductance with half-integer steps.

Findings

Observation of quantized conductance steps at low temperatures

Evidence for absence of spin degeneracy in the 1D channel

Demonstration of a boundary conducting channel between insulating regions

Abstract

We grow a tiled structure of insulating two dimensional LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces composed of alternating one and three LaAlO3 unit cells. The boundary between two tiles is conducting. At low temperatures this conductance exhibits quantized steps as a function of gate voltage indicative of a one dimensional channel. The step size of half the quantum of conductance is an evidence for absence of spin degeneracy.