Quantum oscillations and linear magnetoresistance in ultraclean CaVO$_3$ thin films

Abstract

Advances in epitaxy of transition metal oxides with perovskite structure allow novel insights into transport mechanisms of strongly correlated electron systems, which are of interest for future transparent electronics. In this study, we investigate magnetotransport properties of thin epitaxial CaVO$_3$ films, grown coherently strained on LaAlO$_3$, and demonstrate for the ultraclean limit quantum oscillations. Fermi liquid behavior is detected in the temperature-dependent resistivity $\rho(T) \sim T^2$ up to 20 K, with effective mean free paths exceeding up to 20 times the film thickness (38 nm). Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations and a non-linear Hall resistance reveal two electron-like (1 and 2) and one hole-like (h) carriers, reflecting the three-fold Fermi surface of orthorhombic CaVO$_3$, with effective charge carrier densities and mobilities at 4.2 K of: (1) $n_1 \approx 9.3 \cdot 10^{21}{}cm^{-3}$ with low mobility $\mu_1 \approx 926{}cm^{2}V^{-1}s^{-1}$, (2) $n_2 \approx 7.2 \cdot 10^{19}{}cm^{-3}$ with high mobility $\mu_2 \approx 6600 {}cm^{2}V^{-1}s^{-1}$, and (h) $n_h \approx 2.2 \cdot 10^{18}{}cm^{-3}$ with $\mu_h \approx 1500{}cm^{2}V^{-1}s^{-1}$. A non-saturating linear magnetoresistance dominates at low temperatures, exceeding the value for single crystals by 30$\%$. Our findings on epitaxial films demonstrate the delicate interplay of multiple carriers with correlations stemming from a non-spherical nested Fermi surface of a perovskite structure with orthorhombic distortion.