Scanning Probe Manipulation of Magnetism at the LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ Heterointerface

Abstract

Manipulation of magnetism is a longstanding goal of research in exotic materials. In this work, we demonstrate that the small ferromagnetic patches in LaAlO(3)/SrTiO(3) heterostructures can be dramatically changed by in situ contact of a scanning probe. Our results provide a platform for manipulation of small magnets through either a strong magneto-elastic coupling or sensitivity to surface modification. The ability to locally control magnetism is particularly interesting due to the presence of superconductivity with strong spin-orbit coupling in LaAlO(3)/SrTiO(3).

Room-temperature electronically-controlled ferromagnetism at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface

“…12) may contain local insulating regions that exhibit room-temperature ferromagnetic behaviour. Experiments by Kalisky et al 40 suggest that there could be a critical LAO thickness below which magnetism is not observed. At higher carrier densities (and lower temperatures), a distinct class of magnetic behaviour is observed, with signatures such as anomalous Hall effect, anisotropic magnetoresistance and coexistence of superconductivity.…”

Nonvolatile Resistive Switching inPt/LaAlO3/SrTiO3Heterostructures

“…Heterostructures of perovskite oxides are emerging as one of the most fascinating systems in condensed-matter physics, exhibiting a wide range of properties [1], such as the two-dimensional electron gas [2][3][4], orbital reconstruction [5,6], interfacial superconductivity [7,8], ferromagnetism [9][10][11], and enhanced capacitance [12]. In particular, the discovery of high-mobility conduction at the interface between two insulators LaAlO 3 (LAO) and SrTiO 3 (STO) has launched intensive experimental and theoretical investigations on the physics and applications of this novel strong correlated electronic state [2][3][4]13,14].…”

Room-Temperature Giant Charge-to-Spin Conversion at the SrTiO3–LaAlO3 Oxide Interface

“…1 This 2DEG possesses exotic properties, such as superconductivity and ferromagnetism, [2][3][4] which makes the STO/LAO heterostructure a unique system. Recently, a strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) has been theoretically reported in the d bands of the 2DEG at the STO/LAO interface, [5][6][7] leading to the orbital and spin degrees of freedom to be strongly coupled with each other.…”