Observation of long phase-coherence length in epitaxial La-doped CdO thin films

TL;DR

This study reports a notably long electron phase coherence length of approximately 3.7 micrometers in La-doped CdO thin films at 2 K, highlighting the effects of doping and oxygen vacancies on electron coherence.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates a record-long phase coherence length in La-doped CdO films and identifies oxygen vacancies as key scattering centers affecting electron coherence.

Findings

Phase coherence length of ~3.7 micrometers at 2 K

Oxygen vacancies are primary scatterers affecting coherence

Contrasting scattering mechanisms for mobility and coherence

Abstract

The search for long electron phase coherence length, which is the length that an electron can keep its quantum wave-like properties, has attracted considerable interest in the last several decades. Here, we report the long phase coherence length of ~ 3.7 micro meters in La-doped CdO thin films at 2 K. Systematical investigations of the La doping and the temperature dependences of the electron mobility and the electron phase coherence length reveal contrasting scattering mechanisms for these two physical properties. Furthermore, these results show that the oxygen vacancies could be the dominant scatters in CdO thin films that break the electron phase coherence, which would shed light on further investigation of phase coherence properties in oxide materials.