Explanation for the temperature dependence of plasma frequencies in SrTiO3 using mixed-polaron theory

Direct Probing of a Large Spin-Orbit Coupling in the FeSe Superconducting Monolayer on STO

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is a fundamental physical interaction, which describes how the electrons' spin couples to their orbital motion. It is the source of a vast variety of fascinating phenomena in nanostructures. Although in most theoretical descriptions of high-temperature superconductivity SOC has been neglected, including this interaction can, in principle, revise the microscopic picture. Here by preforming energy-, momentum-, and spin-resolved spectroscopy experiments we demonstrate that while probing the dynamic charge response of the FeSe monolayer on strontium titanate, a prototype two-dimensional high-temperature superconductor using electrons, the scattering cross-section is spin dependent. We unravel the origin of the observed phenomenon and show that SOC in this two-dimensional superconductor is strong. We anticipate that such a strong SOC can have several consequences on the electronic structures and may compete with other pairing scenarios and be crucial for the mechanism of superconductivity.

Superconductivity enhancement in FeSe/SrTiO3: a review from the perspective of electron-phonon coupling

Single-layer FeSe films grown on SrTiO3, with the highest superconducting transition temperature (TC) among all the iron-based superconductors, serves as an ideal platform for studying the microscopic mechanisms of high-TCsuperconductivity. The significant role of interfacial coupling has been widely recognized, while the precise nature of theTCenhancement remains open. In this review, we focus on the investigations of the interfacial coupling in FeSe/SrTiO3from the perspective of electron-phonon coupling (EPC). The main content will include an overview of the experimental measurements associated with different theoretical models and arguments about the EPC. Especially, besides the discussions of EPC based on the measurements of electronic states, we will emphasize the analyses based on phonon measurements. A uniform picture about the nature of the EPC and its relation to theTCenhancement in FeSe/SrTiO3has still not achieved, which should be the key for further studies aiming to the in-depth understanding of high-TCsuperconductivity and the discovery of new superconductors with even enhancedTC.

Enhanced Superconducting State in FeSe/SrTiO_{3} by a Dynamic Interfacial Polaron Mechanism

The observation of substantially enhanced superconductivity of single-layer FeSe films on SrTiO_{3} has stimulated intensive research interest. At present, conclusive experimental data on the corresponding electron-boson interaction is still missing. Here we use inelastic electron scattering spectroscopy and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy to show that the electrons in these systems are dressed by the strongly polarized lattice distortions of the SrTiO_{3}, and the indispensable nonadiabatic nature of such a coupling leads to the formation of dynamic interfacial polarons. Furthermore, the collective motion of the polarons results in a polaronic plasmon mode, which is unambiguously correlated with the surface phonons of SrTiO_{3} in the presence of the FeSe films. A microscopic model is developed showing that the interfacial polaron-polaron interaction leads to the superconductivity enhancement.

Non-Fermi liquids in oxide heterostructures

Understanding the anomalous transport properties of strongly correlated materials is one of the most formidable challenges in condensed matter physics. For example, one encounters metal-insulator transitions, deviations from Landau Fermi liquid behavior, longitudinal and Hall scattering rate separation, a pseudogap phase, and bad metal behavior. These properties have been studied extensively in bulk materials, such as the unconventional superconductors and heavy fermion systems. Oxide heterostructures have recently emerged as new platforms to probe, control, and understand strong correlation phenomena. This article focuses on unconventional transport phenomena in oxide thin film systems. We use specific systems as examples, namely charge carriers in SrTiO₃ layers and interfaces with SrTiO₃, and strained rare earth nickelate thin films. While doped SrTiO₃ layers appear to be a well behaved, though complex, electron gas or Fermi liquid, the rare earth nickelates are a highly correlated electron system that may be classified as a non-Fermi liquid. We discuss insights into the underlying physics that can be gained from studying the emergence of non-Fermi liquid behavior as a function of the heterostructure parameters. We also discuss the role of lattice symmetry and disorder in phenomena such as metal-insulator transitions in strongly correlated heterostructures.

Current-voltage characteristics of manganite-titanite perovskite junctions

After a general introduction into the Shockley theory of current voltage (J-V) characteristics of inorganic and organic semiconductor junctions of different bandwidth, we apply the Shockley theory-based, one diode model to a new type of perovskite junctions with polaronic charge carriers. In particular, we studied manganite-titanate p-n heterojunctions made of n-doped SrTi1- y Nb y O3, y = 0.002 and p-doped Pr1- x Ca x MnO3, x = 0.34 having a strongly correlated electron system. The diffusion length of the polaron carriers was analyzed by electron beam-induced current (EBIC) in a thin cross plane lamella of the junction. In the J-V characteristics, the polaronic nature of the charge carriers is exhibited mainly by the temperature dependence of the microscopic parameters, such as the hopping mobility of the series resistance and a colossal electro-resistance (CER) effect in the parallel resistance. We conclude that a modification of the Shockley equation incorporating voltage-dependent microscopic polaron parameters is required. Specifically, the voltage dependence of the reverse saturation current density is analyzed and interpreted as a voltage-dependent electron-polaron hole-polaron pair generation and separation at the interface.

Electron-phonon interaction and charge carrier mass enhancement in SrTiO3

We report a comprehensive THz, infrared and optical study of Nb-doped SrTiO3 as well as dc conductivity and Hall effect measurements. Our THz spectra at 7 K show the presence of an unusually narrow (<2 meV) Drude peak. For all carrier concentrations the Drude spectral weight shows a factor of three mass enhancement relative to the effective mass in the local density approximation, whereas the spectral weight contained in the incoherent midinfrared response indicates that the mass enhancement is at least a factor two. We find no evidence of a particularly large electron-phonon coupling that would result in small polaron formation.