title: Towards two-dimensional metallic behavior at LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces.
abstract: Using a low-temperature conductive-tip atomic force microscope in cross-section geometry we have characterized the local transport properties of the metallic electron gas that forms at the interface between LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. At low temperature, we find that the carriers do not spread away from the interface but are confined within approximately 10 nm, just like at room temperature. Simulations taking into account both the large temperature and electric-field dependence of the permittivity of SrTiO3 predict a confinement over a few nm for sheet carrier densities larger than approximately 6x10(13) cm(-2). We discuss the experimental and simulations results in terms of a multiband carrier system. Remarkably, the Fermi wavelength estimated from Hall measurements is approximately 16 nm, indicating that the electron gas in on the verge of two dimensionality.
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, Campus de l'Ecole Polytechnique, 1 Av. A. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Copie
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bödefeld
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carrétéro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bibes
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herranz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacquet
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Maurice
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vinter
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fusil
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bouzehouane
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jaffrès
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barthélémy