Magnetotransport in Perovskite Films and Heterostructures

Technical:

The recent advances that enable nm-level control over the deposition of oxide heterostructures have brought the perovskites to the verge of a revolution. The extraordinary functionality of these materials provides outstanding opportunities for elucidation of new physics, the goal of the current project. The work involves the study of magnetotransport phenomena such as interfacial magnetic phase separation, charge and spin transport in novel high-mobility metals, and high electrostatically-induced charge densities at oxide interfaces. Emphasis is placed on understanding the structure, chemistry, magnetism, and transport at ferromagnetic oxide / non-ferromagnetic oxide interfaces. These studies will greatly enhance the current understanding of perovskite heterostructures, opening up new areas of application in oxide electronics, and advancing our basic understanding of complex oxide interfaces. The broader impacts include the societal benefits associated with development of technological applications, effective outreach to the public, and education and training of students and post-docs. These education and outreach activities revolve around the young scientists performing the research work, effectively integrating research, education, and outreach.

Non-Technical:

Oxygen is an element that is familiar to us in our daily lives. Perhaps less familiar are the chemical compounds formed by reacting metallic elements with oxygen to form solid oxides. These oxides are some of the most useful materials of current scientific interest, with applications from simple ceramics, to high-tech devices such as computer processors and hard disk drives. The perovskites are a form of oxides that have proven to be a fertile area for condensed matter physics, yielding such breakthroughs as superconductivity at high temperatures, and giant sensitivity to magnetic fields. The current project aims to exploit the remarkable magnetic and electronic properties of these materials in carefully designed nanoscale structures. These artificial structures produce physical phenomena that are not possible in naturally occurring materials, providing potential for new electronics applications, as well as advancing our understanding of the fundamental physics of magnetism. In addition to scientific research the project also involves education and training of students, as well as outreach to the public. These activities center on the involvement of the young researchers performing the bulk of the work, effectively integrating research and education in a single project.