title: Modifying the electronic orbitals of nickelate heterostructures via structural distortions.
abstract: We describe a general materials design approach that produces large orbital energy splittings (orbital polarization) in nickelate heterostructures, creating a two-dimensional single-band electronic surface at the Fermi energy. The resulting electronic structure mimics that of the high temperature cuprate superconductors. The two key ingredients are (i) the construction of atomic-scale distortions about the Ni site via charge transfer and internal electric fields, and (ii) the use of three-component (tricomponent) superlattices to break inversion symmetry. We use ab initio calculations to implement the approach, with experimental verification of the critical structural motif that enables the design to succeed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
authors.forename: Hanghui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Divine P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Kumah
authors.forename: Ankit S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Disa
authors.forename: Frederick J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Sohrab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ismail-Beigi