Solid phase epitaxy in nanoscale confined geometries: Geometry-Tuned Transport and Light–Matter Interfaces
ORAL
Abstract
Lateral solid-phase epitaxy (SPE) in oxides provides defect- and orientation-engineered functionality at the nanoscale, motivating transport-led device studies beyond structural characterization. Using nanoscale confined SPE, we crystallize amorphous LaAlO₃ exclusively inside lithographically defined nanocavities on SrTiO₃, producing wafer-scale arrays of coherent LAO/STO interfaces (billions per cm²) via block-copolymer lithography. We pattern the interface at ~10–20 nm lateral scales so that the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is discretized into a periodic network of quantum-confined channels; four-probe measurements on as-crystallized samples show low sheet resistance across the patterned area. We will report how cavity diameter and pitch modulate the sheet resistance by tuning lateral quantum confinement (sub-band quantization and occupancy), carrier density, and inter-cavity tunneling. Building from earlier lateral-SPE seeding in SrTiO₃, which established controllable rotation and defect microstructures as a new handle on oxide properties, we use that paradigm to seed and rationalize the nanopatterned LAO/STO transport response. Finally, we outline application paths: reconfigurable nano-oxide electronics and integrated light–matter platforms where SPE-defined, nanoscale ferroelectric/plasmonic elements enable strong electro-optic coupling for quantum transduction.
*This research was supported by the NSF Division of Materials Research through the University of Wisconsin Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (grant DMR-1720415). R. L. acknowledge the support from the Argonne National Laboratory Directed Research and Development funding (LDRD 2026-0057) by the U.S. DOE, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. Work performed at the Center for Nanoscale Materials and Advanced Photon Source, both U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility, was supported by the U.S. DOE, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.
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Publication:Rui Liu, Tesia D. Janicki, Samuel D. Marks, Deepankar Sri Gyan, Peng Zuo, Donald E. Savage, Tao Zhou, Zhonghou Cai, Martin Holt, Serkan Butun, Shaoning Lu, Nasir Basit, Xiaobing Hu, Tirzah Abbott, Nathaniel Kabat, Wei Li, Qian Li, Kyle P. Kelley, Rama K. Vasudevan, J. R. Schmidt, Susan E. Babcock, Paul G. Evans, "Optical and electronic functionality arising from controlled defect formation in nanoscale complex oxide lateral epitaxy," Science Advances 10, eadk5509 (2024).
Presenters
Rui Liu
Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Authors
Rui Liu
Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Martin V Holt
Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory
