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Updated: Sep 4, 2026

Writing and Low-Temperature Characterization of Oxide Nanostructures
Published on: July 18, 2014
2D Electron Gas and Jahn-Teller Synergy Enables Al3+ Migration at Oxide Heterointerfaces: Interfacial Engineering for
Kai Ding1,2, Wenye Deng1,3, Shala Bi1
1State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials and Devices for Special Environments Conditions, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Electronic Information Materials and Devices, Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry of CAS, Urumqi, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Oxide heterointerfaces enable emergent electronic phenomena through interfacial charge reconstruction and lattice coupling. Here, we demonstrate that the synergistic coupling between a 2D electron gas (2DEG) and Mn3+ Jahn-Teller distortion drives Al3+ migration across LaAlO3/NiMn2O4 (LAO/NMO) heterointerfaces. Multiscale characterization (TEM, XAFS, XPS) confirms Al3+ interstitial occupancy and associated local lattice distortion. DFT calculations reveal that the 2DEG reduces Al-vacancy formation energy by ∼50%, while Jahn-Teller distortion provides energetically favorable migration channels, lowering the overall migration barrier to 0.8 eV. Phase-field simulations show that interfacial strain gradients guide Al3+ diffusion and stabilize phase separation. These mechanisms collectively enhance carrier transport (1.6× mobility) and suppress aging (0.28% drift), giving ultrawide-range negative-temperature-coefficient (NTC) behavior (173-1273 K, 99.96% linearity). Our work establishes a mechanistic framework for coupled electrostatic-lattice control of ionic migration, offering design principles for robust functional oxide electronics.
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