|
1
|
Meng M, Wang Z, Fathima A, Ghosh S, Saghayezhian M, Taylor J, Jin R, Zhu Y, Pantelides ST, Zhang J, Plummer EW, Guo H. Interface-induced magnetic polar metal phase in complex oxides. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5248. [PMID: 31748526 PMCID: PMC6868157 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13270-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Polar metals are commonly defined as metals with polar structural distortions. Strict symmetry restrictions make them an extremely rare breed as the structural constraints favor insulating over metallic phase. Moreover, no polar metals are known to be magnetic. Here we report on the realization of a magnetic polar metal phase in a BaTiO3/SrRuO3/BaTiO3 heterostructure. Electron microscopy reveals polar lattice distortions in three-unit-cells thick SrRuO3 between BaTiO3 layers. Electrical transport and magnetization measurements reveal that this heterostructure possesses a metallic phase with high conductivity and ferromagnetic ordering with high saturation moment. The high conductivity in the SrRuO3 layer can be attributed to the effect of electrostatic carrier accumulation induced by the BaTiO3 layers. Density-functional-theory calculations provide insights into the origin of the observed properties of the thin SrRuO3 film. The present results pave a way to design materials with desired functionalities at oxide interfaces. Polar metals—metals with polar structural distortions—are known not to be magnetic. Here, the authors demonstrate a magnetic polar metal phase in a BaTiO3/SrRuO3/BaTiO3 heterostructure displaying high conductivity and ferromagnetic ordering with high saturation moment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meng Meng
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.,Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Aafreen Fathima
- Department of Physics & Nanotechnology and SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Saurabh Ghosh
- Department of Physics & Nanotechnology and SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Tamil Nadu, India. .,Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235, USA. .,Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37831, USA.
| | - Mohammad Saghayezhian
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Joel Taylor
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Rongying Jin
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Yimei Zhu
- Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Sokrates T Pantelides
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235, USA.,Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37831, USA
| | - Jiandi Zhang
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - E W Plummer
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
| | - Hangwen Guo
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
| |
Collapse
|