Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis on the LaAlO₃/Sr_xCa1-_xTiO₃/SrTiO₃ Hetero-Oxide Interface System

The presence of the conduction interface in epitaxial $LaAlO_3/SrTiO_3$ thin films has opened up challenging applications which can be expanded to next-generation nano-electronics. The metallic conduction path is associated with two adjacent insulating materials. Such device structure is applicable to frequency-dependent impedance spectroscopy. Impedance spectroscopy allows for simultaneous measurement of resistivity and dielectric constants, systematic identification of the underlying electrical origins, and the estimation of the electrical homogeneity in the corresponding electrical origins. Such unique capability is combined with the intentional control on the interface composition composed of $SrTiO_3$ and $CaTiO_3$, which can be denoted by $SrxCa1-_xTiO_3$. The underlying $Sr_xCa1-_xTiO_3$ interface was deposited using pulsed-laser deposition, followed by the epitaxial $LaAlO_3$ thin films. The platinum electrodes were constructed using metal shadow masks, in order to accommodate 2-point electrode configuration. Impedance spectroscopy was performed as the function of the relative ratio of Sr to Ca. The respective impedance spectra were analyzed in terms of the equivalent circuit models. Furthermore, the impedance spectra were monitored as a function of temperature. The ac-based characterization in the 2-dimensional conduction path supplements the dc-based electrical analysis. The artificial manipulation of the interface composition will be discussed towards the electrical application of 2-dimensional materials to the semiconductor devices in replacement for the current Si-based devices.