Breaking electron pairs in the pseudogap regime of SmTiO${}_3$/SrTiO${}_3$/SmTiO${}_3$ quantum wells

Abstract

The strongly correlated two-dimensional electron liquid within SmTiO${}_3$/SrTiO${}_3$/SmTiO${}_3$ quantum well structures exhibits a pseudogap phase when the quantum well width is sufficiently narrow. Using low-temperature transport and optical experiments that drive the quantum-well system out of equilibrium, we find evidence of mobile, long-lived, negatively-charged quasiparticles, consistent with the idea that the pseudogap phase arises from strongly bound electron pairs.

5 pages, 5 figures