Dopant-Induced Nanoscale Electronic Inhomogeneity in Ca2-xSrxRuO4

ORAL

Abstract

Ca$_{2-x}$Sr$_{x}$RuO$_{4}$ single crystals with 0.1 $\le \quad x \quad \le $ 2.0 have been studied systematically using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES). In contrast to the well-ordered lattice structure, the local density of states (LDOS) at the surface clearly shows a strong doping dependent nanoscale electronic inhomogeneity, regardless of the fact of \textit{isovalent }substitution. Remarkably, the surface electronic roughness measured by STM and the inverse spectral weight of quasiparticle (QP) states determined by ARPES are found to vary with $x$ in the same manner as the bulk in-plane residual resistivity, following the Nordheim rule. For the first time, the surface measurements--especially those with STM--are shown to be in good agreement with the bulk transport results, all clearly indicating a doping induced electronic disorder in the system.

Authors

  • Jiandi Zhang

    Florida International University, Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199

  • Rob Moore

    University of Tennessee-Knoxville

  • Shancai Wang

    Boston College

  • H. Ding

    Boston College

  • Rongyin Jin

    ORNL, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831

  • David Mandrus

    Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 37831, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Lab., Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge, TN, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831

  • Ward Plummer

    University of Tennessee-Knoxville