Electron gas induced in SrTiO$_3$

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the formation and properties of electron gases induced in SrTiO$_3$ surfaces and clusters, using nonlinear dielectric response models and the Thomas-Fermi approximation, revealing new insights into electron density profiles and charge collapse phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework for electron gas profiles in SrTiO$_3$ considering nonlinear dielectric effects and extends to complex geometries like clusters and heterojunctions.

Findings

Electron density profile in planar geometry: n(x) ∝ (x+d)^{-12/7}

Critical charge for electron collapse in spherical clusters: Z_c ≈ R/a

Charge saturation in large clusters: Z* ≈ (R/a)^{9/7}

Abstract

This mini-review is dedicated to the 85th birthday of Prof. L. V. Keldysh, from whom we have learned so much. In this paper we study the potential and electron density depth profiles in surface accumulation layers in crystals with a large and nonlinear dielectric response such as SrTiO$_3$ (STO) in the cases of planar, spherical and cylindrical geometries. The electron gas can be created by applying an induction $D_0$ to the STO surface. We describe the lattice dielectric response of STO using the Landau-Ginzburg free energy expansion and employ the Thomas-Fermi (TF) approximation for the electron gas. For the planar geometry we arrive at the electron density profile $n(x) \propto (x+d)^{-12/7}$, where $d \propto D_0^{-7/5} $. We extend our results to overlapping electron gases in GTO/STO/GTO multi-heterojunctions and electron gases created by spill-out from NSTO (heavily $n$-type doped STO) layers into STO. Generalization of our approach to a spherical donor cluster creating a big TF atom with electrons in STO brings us to the problem of supercharged nuclei. It is known that for an atom with nuclear charge $Ze$, where $Z > 170$, electrons collapse onto the nucleus resulting in a net charge $Z_n < Z$. Here, instead of relativistic physics, the collapse is caused by the nonlinear dielectric response. Electrons collapse into the charged spherical donor cluster with radius $R$ when its total charge number $Z$ exceeds the critical value $Z_c \simeq R/a$, where $a$ is the lattice constant. The net charge $eZ_n$ grows with $Z$ until $Z$ exceeds $Z^* \simeq (R/a)^{9/7}$. After this point, the charge number of the compact core $Z_n$ remains $\simeq Z^*$, with the rest $Z^*$ electrons forming a sparse Thomas-Fermi electron atmosphere around it. We extend our results to the case of long cylindrical clusters as well.