Coexistence of high electron-mobility, unpaired spins, and superconductivity at high carrier density SrTiO$_3$-based interfaces

TL;DR

This study investigates how band structure modifications in SrTiO$_3$-based 2DEGs influence superconductivity, magnetism, and transport properties, revealing enhanced mobility, unpaired spins, and reshaped superconducting behavior at high carrier densities.

Contribution

It demonstrates the effects of $t_{2g}$ band-order inversion induced by $ ext{γ-Al}_2 ext{O}_3$ growth on transport, spin, and superconducting properties in SrTiO$_3$ interfaces, highlighting the role of high-mobility bands.

Findings

Carrier density and mobility are increased compared to LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$.

Unpaired spins are detected via anomalous Hall effect and Kondo-like resistance upturn.

Supercurrent is more likely hosted by the $d_{xz/yz}$-band than the $d_{xy}$-band.

Abstract

The $t_{2g}$ band-structure of SrTiO$_3$-based two-dimensional electron gasses (2DEGs), have been found to play a role in features such as the superconducting dome, high-mobility transport, and the magnitude of spin-orbit coupling. This adds to the already very diverse range of phenomena, including magnetism and extreme magnetoresistance, exhibited by this particular material platform. Tuning and/or combining these intriguing attributes could yield significant progress within quantum and spintronics technologies. Doing so demands precise control of the parameters, which requires a better understanding of the factors that affect them. Here we present effects of the $t_{2g}$ band-order inversion, stemming from the growth of spinel-structured $\gamma$-Al$_2$O$_3$ onto perovskite SrTiO$_3$. Electronic transport measurements show that with LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ as the reference, the carrier density and electron mobility are enhanced, and the sample displays a reshaping of the superconducting dome. Additionally, unpaired spins are evidenced by increasing Anomalous Hall Effect with decreasing temperature, entering the same temperature range as the superconducting transition, and a Kondo-like upturn in the sheet resistance. Finally, it is argued that the high-mobility $d_{xz/yz}$-band is more likely than the $d_{xy}$-band to host the supercurrent.