Spin-orbit semimetal SrIrO${}_3$ in the two-dimensional limit

Abstract

We investigate the thickness-dependent electronic structure of ultrathin SrIrO${}_3$ and discover a transition from a semimetallic to a correlated insulating state below 4 unit cells. Low-temperature magnetoconductance measurements show that spin fluctuations in the semimetallic state are significantly enhanced while approaching the transition point. The electronic structure is further studied by scanning tunneling spectroscopy, showing that 4 unit cells SrIrO${}_3$ is on the verge of a gap opening. Our density functional theory calculations reproduce the critical thickness of the transition and show that the opening of a gap in ultrathin SrIrO${}_3$ is accompanied by antiferromagnetic order.

6 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (8)

• Restoring the density-gradient expansion for exchange in solids and surfaces
• Generalized gradient approximation for solids and their surfaces
• Novel Jeff = 1/2 Mott State Induced by Relativistic Spin-Orbit Coupling in Sr2IrO4
• Interplay of Spin-Orbit Interactions, Dimensionality, and Octahedral Rotations in Semimetallic SrIrO${}_3$
• Dimensionality-driven metal-insulator-transition in spin-orbit coupled SrIrO${}_3$
• Tunable Semimetallic State in Compressive-strained SrIrO3 Films Revealed by Transport Behaviors
• Surface States of Perovskite Iridates AIrO${}_3$; Signatures of Topological Crystalline Metal with Nontrivial ${\mathbb{Z}}_2$ Index
• Metal-Insulator Transition and Jeff = 1/2 Spin-Orbit Insulating State in Rutile-based IrO2/TiO2 Superlattices

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Dimensionality-driven metal-insulator-transition in spin-orbit coupled SrIrO${}_3$
• Anomalous Magnetoresistance due to Longitudinal Spin Fluctuations in a Jeff = 1/2 Mott Semiconductor
• Stabilization of the perovskite phase in the Y-Bi-O system by using a BaBiO${}_3$ buffer layer
• Interface induced exchange bias effect in La${}_{0.67}$Sr${}_{0.33}$MnO${}_3$/SrIrO${}_3$ multilayer
• Magnetotransport of SrIrO3 films on (110) DyScO3