Surface triggered stabilization of metastable charge-ordered phase in SrTiO3

Kitae Eom, Bongwook Chung, Sehoon Oh, Hua Zhou, Jinsol Seo, Sang Ho Oh, Jinhyuk Jang, Si-Young Choi, Minsu Choi, Ilwan Seo, Yun Sang Lee, Youngmin Kim, Hyungwoo Lee, Jung-Woo Lee, Kyoungjun Lee, Mark Rzchowski, Chang-Beom Eom () and Jaichan Lee ()
Additional contact information
Kitae Eom: Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
Bongwook Chung: Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
Sehoon Oh: Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
Hua Zhou: Argonne National Laboratory
Jinsol Seo: Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH)
Sang Ho Oh: Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH)
Jinhyuk Jang: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
Si-Young Choi: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
Minsu Choi: Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
Ilwan Seo: Soongsil University
Yun Sang Lee: Soongsil University
Youngmin Kim: Ajou University
Hyungwoo Lee: Ajou University
Jung-Woo Lee: Hongik University
Kyoungjun Lee: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Mark Rzchowski: University of Wisconsin
Chang-Beom Eom: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Jaichan Lee: Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Charge ordering (CO), characterized by a periodic modulation of electron density and lattice distortion, has been a fundamental topic in condensed matter physics, serving as a potential platform for inducing novel functional properties. The charge-ordered phase is known to occur in a doped system with high d-electron occupancy, rather than low occupancy. Here, we report the realization of the charge-ordered phase in electron-doped (100) SrTiO3 epitaxial thin films that have the lowest d-electron occupancy i.e., d1-d0. Theoretical calculation predicts the presence of a metastable CO state in the bulk state of electron-doped SrTiO3. Atomic scale analysis reveals that (100) surface distortion favors electron-lattice coupling for the charge-ordered state, and triggering the stabilization of the CO phase from a correlated metal state. This stabilization extends up to six unit cells from the top surface to the interior. Our approach offers an insight into the means of stabilizing a new phase of matter, extending CO phase to the lowest electron occupancy and encompassing a wide range of 3d transition metal oxides.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45342-8

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