Disentangling spin-orbit coupling and local magnetism in a quasi-two-dimensional electron system

Abstract

Quantum interference between time-reversed electron paths in two dimensions leads to the well-known weak localization correction to resistance. If spin-orbit coupling is present, the resistance correction is negative, termed weak anti-localization (WAL). Here we report the observation of WAL coexisting with exchange coupling between itinerant electrons and localized magnetic moments. We use low-temperature magneto-transport measurements to investigate the quasi-two-dimensional, high-electron-density interface formed between SrTiO${}_3$ (STO) and the anti-ferromagnetic Mott insulator NdTiO${}_3$ (NTO). As the magnetic field angle is gradually tilted away from the sample normal, the data reveals the interplay between strong $k$-cubic Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling and a substantial magnetic exchange interaction from local magnetic regions. The resulting quantum corrections to the conduction are in excellent agreement with existing models and allow sensitive determination of the small magnetic moments (22 ${\mu }_B$ on average), their magnetic anisotropy and mutual coupling strength. This effect is expected to arise in other 2D magnetic materials systems.

arXiv comment6 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (24)

• Magnetic effects at the interface between nonmagnetic oxides
• Electric Field Control of the LaAlO${}_3$/SrTiO${}_3$ Interface Ground State
• Tunable Rashba spin-orbit interaction at oxide interfaces
• Direct imaging of the coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface
• Coexistence of Magnetic Order and Two-dimensional Superconductivity at LaAlO${}_3$/SrTiO${}_3$ Interfaces
• Coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism in two dimensions
• Weak Antilocalization and Spin Precession in Quantum Wells
• Tuning spin-orbit coupling and superconductivity at the SrTiO3/LaAlO3 interface: a magneto-transport study
• Two-dimensional superconductivity at a Mott-Insulator/Band-Insulator interface: LaTiO3/SrTiO3
• Electrostatic carrier doping of GdTiO3/SrTiO3 interfaces
• Nanoscale Phenomena in Oxide Heterostructures
• A Gate-tunable Polarized Phase of Two-Dimensional Electrons at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Interface
• Spin-Orbit Coupling, Antilocalization, and Parallel Magnetic Fields in Quantum Dots
• Photoemission from buried interfaces in SrTiO3/LaTiO3 superlattices
• Weak localization in ferromagnets with spin-orbit interaction
• Carrier-controlled ferromagnetism in SrTiO3
• Emergent nanoscale superparamagnetism at oxide interfaces
• Weak antilocalization in quantum wells in tilted magnetic fields
• Random Berry Phase Magnetoresistance as a Probe of Interface Roughness in Si MOSFETs
• Quantum transport in parallel magnetic fields: A realization of the Berry-Robnik symmetry phenomenon
• A New Line Defect in NdTiO3 Perovskite
• Weak-localization corrections to the conductivity of double quantum wells
• Ferromagnetism and spin-dependent transport at a complex oxide interface
• Strong spin-orbit coupling and magnetism in (111) (La${}_{0.3}$Sr${}_{0.7}$)(Al${}_{0.65}$Ta${}_{0.35})$/SrTiO${}_3$

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Unexpected two-fold symmetric superconductivity in few-layer NbSe${}_2$
• Tunable and Enhanced Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling in Iridate-Manganite Heterostructures
• From Weak Antilocalization to Kondo Scattering in a Magnetic Complex Oxide Interface
• Effects of paramagnetic pair-breaking and spin-orbital coupling on multi-band superconductivity