Thickness dependence of transport behaviors in SrRuO3 /SrTiO3 superlattices

Abstract

Ultrathin oxide films have attracted considerable attention due to the potential for the integration of next-generation devices. However, the transport behaviors of the ultrathin oxide films are yet to be explored due to the high resistance caused by the strong influence of the interface and substrates. In this paper, an attempt is made to engineer the transport behaviors in ultrathin oxides. To exclude the high-resistance issue, conductive SrRuO3 with thickness down to two unit cells is embedded in insulating SrTiO3 in the form of superlattices. With precise control of the thickness in each layer, the transport behaviors, as well as the anomalous Hall effects, in SrRuO3 can be systematically manipulated. The analysis indicates that the diversity of the anomalous Hall effects is attributed to the change of Berry curvatures. The results give a pathway to the control of physical properties in ultrathin oxide systems by thickness engineering.