Nanoscale Phenomena in Oxide Heterostructures

Abstract

Recent advances in creating complex oxide heterostructures, interfaces formed between two different transition metal oxides, have heralded a new era of materials and physics research, enabling a uniquely diverse set of coexisting physical properties to be combined with an ever- increasing degree of experimental control. Already, these systems have exhibited such varied phenomena as superconductivity, magnetism, and ferroelasticity, all of which are gate-tunable, demonstrating their promise for fundamental discovery and technological innovation alike. To fully exploit this richness, it is necessary to understand and control the physics on the smallest scales, making the use of nanoscale probes essential. Using the prototypical LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ interface as a guide, we explore the exciting developments in the physics of oxide-based heterostructures, with a focus on nanostructures and the nanoscale probes employed to unravel their complex behavior.