Work on Topological Phases in Complex Oxides

In recent years, topological materials have been of increasing interest due to their applicability in Topological Quantum Computing (TQC) [1] and their interesting properties like being insulating in their bulk but conductive on their surface. At Meyers Lab, we aimed to produce such materials with the aim of studying their properties and ascertaining their utility for next-generation electronics. However, materials like these are highly sensitive to oxidation and contamination, which can hinder the study of their properties. Our focus was on meeting one such requirement, enabling the use of an Auxiliary Vacuum Chamber, which allows coating samples with a thin layer, protecting them from contamination, and the installation of a vacuum suitcase, which allows the removal of the sample at varying pressures. The vacuum chamber is undergoing vacuum testing and being brought up to operational. We commenced the first testing of our candidates, SrRuO3 (SRO) thin films on (111) terminated SrTiO3 (STO) substrates etched and annealed in our laboratory. We subjected this sample to various electrical property measuring experiments with the end goal of observing potential topological behavior such as the Fractional Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect.