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Electric field control of superconductivity at the LaAlO3/KTaO3(111) interface
Zheng Chen1, Yuan Liu1, Hui Zhang2
1Interdisciplinary Center for Quantum Information, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, and Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Quantum Technology and Device, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
Abstract:
The oxide interface between LaAlO3 and KTaO3(111) can harbor a superconducting state. We report that by applying a gate voltage (V G) across KTaO3, the interface can be continuously tuned from superconducting into insulating states, yielding a dome-shaped T c-V G dependence, where T c is the transition temperature. The electric gating has only a minor effect on carrier density but a strong one on mobility. We interpret the tuning of mobility in terms of change in the spatial profile of the carriers in the interface and hence, effective disorder. As the temperature is decreased, the resistance saturates at the lowest temperature on both superconducting and insulating sides, suggesting the emergence of a quantum metallic state associated with a failed superconductor and/or fragile insulator.
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