Thickness-Dependent Interface Polarity in Infinite-Layer Nickelate Superlattices

Overview

Journal Nano Lett

Publisher American Chemical Society

Specialty Biotechnology

Date 2023 Apr 7

PMID 37027232

Authors

Chao Yang

Roberto A Ortiz

Yi Wang

Wilfried Sigle

Hongguang Wang

Eva Benckiser

Bernhard Keimer

Peter A van Aken

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The interface polarity plays a vital role in the physical properties of oxide heterointerfaces because it can cause specific modifications of the electronic and atomic structure. Reconstruction due to the strong polarity of the NdNiO/SrTiO interface in recently discovered superconducting nickelate films may play an important role, as no superconductivity has been observed in the bulk. By employing four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we studied effects of oxygen distribution, polyhedral distortion, elemental intermixing, and dimensionality in NdNiO/SrTiO superlattices grown on SrTiO (001) substrates. Oxygen distribution maps show a gradual variation of the oxygen content in the nickelate layer. Remarkably, we demonstrate thickness-dependent interface reconstruction due to a polar discontinuity. An average cation displacement of ∼0.025 nm at interfaces in 8NdNiO/4SrTiO superlattices is twice larger than that in 4NdNiO/2SrTiO superlattices. Our results provide insights into the understanding of reconstructions at NdNiO/SrTiO polar interfaces.

Citing Articles

Superconductivity in an infinite-layer nickelate superlattice.

Xiao W, Yang Z, Hu S, He Y, Gao X, Liu J Nat Commun. 2024; 15(1):10215.

PMID: 39587107 PMC: 11589160. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54660-w.

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