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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records

LaTiO{sub 3}/KTaO{sub 3} interfaces: A new two-dimensional electron gas system

We report a new 2D electron gas (2DEG) system at the interface between a Mott insulator, LaTiO{sub 3}, and a band insulator, KTaO{sub 3}. For LaTiO{sub 3}/KTaO{sub 3} interfaces, we observe metallic conduction from 2 K to 300 K. One serious technological limitation of SrTiO{sub 3}-based conducting oxide interfaces for electronics applications is the relatively low carrier mobility (0.5-10 cm{sup 2}/V s) of SrTiO{sub 3} at room temperature. By using KTaO{sub 3}, we achieve mobilities in LaTiO{sub 3}/KTaO{sub 3} interfaces as high as 21 cm{sup 2}/V s at room temperature, over a factor of 3 higher than observed in doped bulk SrTiO{sub 3}. By density functional theory, we attribute the higher mobility in KTaO{sub 3} 2DEGs to the smaller effective mass for electrons in KTaO{sub 3}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Properties of a finite fully spin-polarized free homogeneous one-dimensional electron gas

The homogeneous electron gas model has been quite successful to predict the bulk properties of systems of electrons at various densities. In many occasions, a simplified free homogeneous electron gas model represents a powerful first approximation to a real system. Despite our considerable knowledge on the bulk properties of a homogeneous electron gas, advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology call for a greater effort to understand the opposite limit of small finite systems of electrons with size-dependent properties. In this work, we provide a detailed description of the properties of a finite fully spin-polarized (spinless) free homogeneous one-dimensional electron gas, the simplest of the free homogeneous electron gases. We derive exact analytical results for various quantities such as the one-particle density function, two-particle density function, one-particle density matrix, pair correlation function and energy of finite systems with an arbitrary number of electrons. The results obtained provide a detailed view on how various quantities corresponding to a finite system approach their bulk (thermodynamic limit) value.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Scattering due to Schottky barrier height spatial fluctuation on two dimensional electron gas in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

A scattering mechanism related to the Schottky barrier height (SBH) spatial fluctuation of the two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures is presented. We find that the low field mobility is on the order of 10{sup 4}–10{sup 6} cm{sup 2}/Vs. The 2DEG transport properties are found to be influenced by both the mobility and 2DEG density variations caused by the SBH fluctuation. Our results indicate that a uniform Schottky contact is highly desired to minimize the influence of SBH inhomogeneity on the device performance.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Comprehensive magnetotransport characterization of two dimensional electron gas in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor structures leading to the assessment of interface roughness

Magnetotransport in two distinct AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) on Fe-doped templates is investigated using Shubnikov de-Haas Oscillations in the temperature range of 1.8–6 K and multicarrier fitting in the temperature range of 1.8–300 K. The temperature dependence of the two dimensional electron gas mobility is extracted from simultaneous multicarrier fitting of transverse and longitudinal resistivity as a function of magnetic field and the data is utilized to estimate contribution of interface roughness to the mobility and the corresponding transport lifetime. The quantum scattering time obtained from the analysis of Shubnikov de Haas Oscillations in transverse magnetoresistance along with the transport lifetime time were used to estimate interface roughness amplitude and lateral correlation length. The results indicate that the insertion of AlN over layer deposited prior to the growth of GaN base layer on Fe doped GaN templates for forming HEMT structures reduced the parallel conduction but resulted in an increase in interface roughness.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Observation of Spin Coulomb Drag in a Two-Dimensional Electron Gas

An electron propagating through a solid carries spin angular momentum in addition to its mass and charge. Of late there has been considerable interest in developing electronic devices based on the transport of spin, which offer potential advantages in dissipation, size, and speed over charge-based devices. However, these advantages bring with them additional complexity. Because each electron carries a single, fixed value (-e) of charge, the electrical current carried by a gas of electrons is simply proportional to its total momentum. A fundamental consequence is that the charge current is not affected by interactions that conserve total momentum, notably collisions among the electrons themselves. In contrast, the electron's spin along a given spatial direction can take on two values, {+-} {h_bar}/2 (conventionally {up_arrow}, {down_arrow}), so that the spin current and momentum need not be proportional. Although the transport of spin polarization is not protected by momentum conservation, it has been widely assumed that, like the charge current, spin current is unaffected by electron-electron (e-e) interactions. Here we demonstrate experimentally not only that this assumption is invalid, but that over a broad range of temperature and electron density, the flow of spin polarization in a two-dimensional gas of electrons is controlled by the rate of e-e collisions.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Contribution of alloy clustering to limiting the two-dimensional electron gas mobility in AlGaN/GaN and InAlN/GaN heterostructures: Theory and experiment

The influence of alloy clustering on fluctuations in the ground state energy of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN and InAlN/GaN heterostructures is studied. We show that because of these fluctuations, alloy clustering degrades the mobility even when the 2DEG wavefunction does not penetrate the alloy barrier unlike alloy disorder scattering. A comparison between the results obtained for AlGaN/GaN and InAlN/GaN heterostructures shows that alloy clustering limits the 2DEG mobility to a greater degree in InAlN/GaN heterostructures. Our study also reveals that the inclusion of an AlN interlayer increases the limiting mobility from alloy clustering. Moreover, Atom probe tomography is used to demonstrate the random nature of the fluctuations in the alloy composition.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Two-dimensional electron gas in monolayer InN quantum wells

We report in this letter experimental results that confirm the two-dimensional nature of the electron systems in a superlattice structure of 40 InN quantum wells consisting of one monolayer of InN embedded between 10 nm GaN barriers. The electron density and mobility of the two-dimensional electron system (2DES) in these InN quantum wells are 5 × 10{sup 15 }cm{sup −2} (or 1.25 × 10{sup 14 }cm{sup −2} per InN quantum well, assuming all the quantum wells are connected by diffused indium contacts) and 420 cm{sup 2}/Vs, respectively. Moreover, the diagonal resistance of the 2DES shows virtually no temperature dependence in a wide temperature range, indicating the topological nature of the 2DES.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Two-dimensional electron gas in a modulation-doped SrTiO{sub 3}/Sr(Ti, Zr)O{sub 3} heterostructure

A two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in SrTiO{sub 3} is created via modulation doping by interfacing undoped SrTiO{sub 3} with a wider-band-gap material, SrTi{sub 1−x}Zr{sub x}O{sub 3}, which is doped n-type with La. All layers are grown using hybrid molecular beam epitaxy. Using magnetoresistance measurements, we show that electrons are transferred into the SrTiO{sub 3}, and a 2DEG is formed. In particular, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations are shown to depend only on the perpendicular magnetic field. Experimental Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations are compared with calculations that assume multiple occupied subbands.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Quasi-two-dimensional electron gas at the interface of γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} heterostructures grown by atomic layer deposition

We report the formation of a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) at the interface of γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2}-terminated SrTiO{sub 3} (STO) grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The ALD growth of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} on STO(001) single crystal substrates was performed at temperatures in the range of 200–345 °C. Trimethylaluminum and water were used as co-reactants. In situ reflection high energy electron diffraction, ex situ x-ray diffraction, and ex situ cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy were used to determine the crystallinity of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films. As-deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films grown above 300 °C were crystalline with the γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase. In situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/STO interface, indicating that a Ti{sup 3+} feature in the Ti 2p spectrum of STO was formed after 2–3 ALD cycles of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} at 345 °C and even after the exposure to trimethylaluminum alone at 300 and 345 °C. The interface quasi-2-DEG is metallic and exhibits mobility values of ∼4 and 3000 cm{sup 2} V{sup −1} s{sup −1} at room temperature and 15 K, respectively. The interfacial conductivity depended on the thickness of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer. The Ti{sup 3+} signal originated from the near-interfacial region and vanished after annealing in an oxygen environment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Quasi-two-dimensional electron gas at the epitaxial alumina/SrTiO{sub 3} interface: Control of oxygen vacancies

In this paper, we report on the highly conductive layer formed at the crystalline γ-alumina/SrTiO{sub 3} interface, which is attributed to oxygen vacancies. We describe the structure of thin γ-alumina layers deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on SrTiO{sub 3} (001) at growth temperatures in the range of 400–800 °C, as determined by reflection-high-energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction, and high-resolution electron microscopy. In situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of the oxygen-deficient layer. Electrical characterization indicates sheet carrier densities of ∼10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2} at room temperature for the sample deposited at 700 °C, with a maximum electron Hall mobility of 3100 cm{sup 2}V{sup −1}s{sup −1} at 3.2 K and room temperature mobility of 22 cm{sup 2}V{sup −1}s{sup −1}. Annealing in oxygen is found to reduce the carrier density and turn a conductive sample into an insulator.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Predictive Control over Charge Density in the Two-Dimensional Electron Gas at the Polar-Nonpolar NdTiO 3 / SrTiO 3 Interface

Through systematic control of the Nd concentration, we show that the carrier density of the twodimensional electron gas (2DEG) in SrTiO3=NdTiO3=SrTiO3 ð001Þ can be modulated over a wide range. We also demonstrate that the NdTiO3 in heterojunctions without a SrTiO3 cap is degraded by oxygen absorption from air, resulting in the immobilization of donor electrons that could otherwise contribute to the 2DEG. This system is, thus, an ideal model to understand and control the insulator-to-metal transition in a 2DEG based on both environmental conditions and film-growth processing parameters.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗