Emergent ferromagnetism and insulator-metal transition in δ-doped ultrathin ruthenates
Source abstract
Abstract
Abstract Heterostructures of complex transition metal oxides are known to induce extraordinary emergent quantum states that arise from broken symmetry and other discontinuities at interfaces. Here we report the emergence of unusual, thickness-dependent properties in ultrathin CaRuO 3 films by insertion of a single isovalent SrO layer (referred to as δ-doping). While bulk CaRuO 3 is metallic and nonmagnetic, films thinner than or equal to ~15-unit cells (u.c.) are insulating though still nonmagnetic. However, δ-doping to middle of such CaRuO 3 films induces an insulator-to-metal transition and unusual ferromagnetism with strong magnetoresistive behavior. Atomically resolved imaging and density-functional-theory calculations reveal that the whole δ-doped film preserves the bulk-CaRuO 3 orthorhombic structure, while appreciable structural and electronic changes are highly localized near the SrO layer. The results highlight delicate nature of magnetic instability in CaRuO 3 and subtle effects that can alter it, especially the role of A-site cation in electronic and magnetic structure additional to lattice distortion in ruthenates. It also provides a practical approach to engineer material systems via highly localized modifications in their structure and composition that may offer new routes to the design of oxide electronics.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Magnetic and transport properties of perovskites and related materials · Advanced Condensed Matter Physics · Electronic and Structural Properties of Oxides
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (73)
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