``Water-cycle'' mechanism for writing and erasing nanostructures at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface
Abstract
Nanoscale control of the metal-insulator transition in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures can be achieved using local voltages applied by a conductive atomic force microscope (c-AFM) probe. One proposed mechanism for such process involves adsorbed H2O which dissociates into OH- and H+ which are then selectively removed by a biased AFM probe. To test this mechanism, writing and erasing experiments are performed in a vacuum AFM using various gas mixtures. Writing ability is suppressed in those environments where H2O is not present. The self-erasure process in air can be strongly suppressed by creating a modest vacuum or replacing the humid air with dry inert gas. These experiments provide strong constraints for theories of both the writing process as well as the origin of interfacial conductance.
- Publication:
-
Applied Physics Letters
- Pub Date:
- October 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3506509
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1009.3303
- Bibcode:
- 2010ApPhL..97q3110B
- Keywords:
-
- adsorption;
- atomic force microscopy;
- dissociation;
- lanthanum compounds;
- metal-insulator transition;
- nanostructured materials;
- strontium compounds;
- water;
- 72.60.+g;
- 71.30.+h;
- 68.43.Mn;
- 68.37.Ps;
- 73.63.Bd;
- 82.30.Lp;
- Mixed conductivity and conductivity transitions;
- Metal-insulator transitions and other electronic transitions;
- Adsorption/desorption kinetics;
- Atomic force microscopy;
- Nanocrystalline materials;
- Decomposition reactions;
- Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics;
- Condensed Matter - Materials Science
- E-Print:
- 11 pages, 3 figures