Electronic structure of SrTi$_{1-x}$V$_x$O$_3$ films studied by ${\it in\ situ}$ photoemission spectroscopy: Screening for a transparent electrode material

TL;DR

This study used in situ photoemission spectroscopy to analyze the electronic structure of SrTi$_{1-x}$V$_x$O$_3$ films, revealing a composition-driven metal-insulator transition and insights into optimizing transparent conductive oxides.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental evidence on how varying V content tunes the electronic structure and transport properties of SrTi$_{1-x}$V$_x$O$_3$, advancing the understanding of correlated-metal TCOs.

Findings

Spectral weight transfer from coherent to incoherent states with decreasing x

Formation of a pseudogap indicating a metal-insulator transition at x=0.4

Carrier concentration proportional to x in the metallic range

Abstract

This study investigated the electronic structure of SrTi$_{1-x}$V$_x$O$_3$ (STVO) thin films, which are solid solutions of strongly correlated transparent conductive oxide (TCO) SrVO$_3$ and oxide semiconductor SrTiO$_3$, using ${in situ}$ photoemission spectroscopy. STVO is one of the most promising candidates for correlated-metal TCO because it has the capability of optimizing the performance of transparent electrodes by varying ${x}$. Systematic and significant spectral changes were found near the Fermi level (${E_{\rm F}}$) as a function of ${x}$, while the overall electronic structure of STVO is in good agreement with the prediction of band structure calculations. As ${x}$ decreases from 1.0, spectral weight transfer occurs from the coherent band near ${E_{\rm F}}$ to the incoherent states (lower Hubbard band) around 1.0-1.5 eV. Simultaneously, a pseudogap is formed at ${E_{\rm F}}$, indicating a significant reduction in quasiparticle spectral weight within close vicinity of ${E_{\rm F}}$. This pseudogap seems to evolve into an energy gap at ${x}$ = 0.4, suggesting the occurrence of a composition-driven metal-insulator transition. From angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopic results, the carrier concentration ${n}$ changes proportionally as a function of ${x}$ in the metallic range of ${x}$ = 0.6-1.0. In contrast, the mass enhancement factor, which is proportional to the effective mass (${m^*}$), does not change significantly with varying ${x}$. These results suggest that the key factor of ${n/m^*}$ in optimizing the performance of correlated-metal TCO is tuned by ${x}$, highlighting the potential of STVO to achieve the desired TCO performance in the metallic region.