Controllable electrical conduction at complex oxide interfaces

Abstract

Oxide interfaces have sparked considerable interest due to their fascinating physical properties and promising possibilities for next-generation nanoelectronics. Three intriguing oxide interfaces, hetero-, homo-, and tubular interfaces, will be discussed in detail in this review. First, the development and fundamental properties of classical heterointerfaces will be elaborated. Using LaAlO3/SrTiO3 as a case study, we present the most generic approach to control the two-dimensional electron conduction at the heterointerface. Secondly, several key issues based on interesting observations on ferroic homointerfaces will be addressed. Multiple controls of fascinating functionalities based on multiferroic BiFeO3 domain walls will be presented as a model system. Finally, as the most challenging task, we review a new type of complex oxide interfaces, the tubular interface. Further insights of recently emerged tubular interfaces in BiFeO3/CoFe2O4 system will be explored, which serve as one of the focal roles in developing new functional interfaces and potentially new type of nanostructures. (C) 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim