CAREER: Spin-Dependent Transport at Oxide Interfaces Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

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Technical Description: The overarching research goal of this CAREER project is to explore new physical phenomena that emerge when interfaces between different oxides are created with atomic-scale precision as afforded by the Molecular Beam Epitaxy deposition technique, which enables better control of stoichiometry and termination of the interfaces than other deposition methods. Synthesis, in-situ and ex-situ characterization of heterostructures consisting of perovskite oxides with different valence and multiferroic properties are used to (a) tailor the electronic properties of the interfaces and to investigate the presence of a predicted 2-dimensional electron gas and the metal-insulator-transition at the interfaces; (b) study the epitaxial growth and stabilization of novel oxides; (c) investigate spin injection and the spin transport properties of the established 2-dimensional electron gas at oxide interfaces in magnetic nanostructures using integrated, epitaxially grown oxides as tunnel barriers and spin filters.Non-technical Description: The project involves materials growth and characterization, and explores new interfacial phenomena. The successful implementation of the scientific findings could lay the foundation for a new technology platform based on the interfaces of hybrid materials. It can lead to a large-scale use of oxide technology and has the potential to usher in a new era of highly integrated oxide-based charge and spin electronics. The educational and outreach project activities impact and benefit the society by engaging high-school science teachers in materials science research through a "hands-on" summer workshop; attracting the attention of the local, largely Hispanic community and exposing them in scientific research through a "Science Open House" initiative; recruiting and engaging high-school and undergraduate students into research, fostering their understanding of scientific methodology and reasoning; training and retaining the next generation of physicists and materials scientists; leveraging the institutional pool of minority students to increase the level of diversity in scientific disciplines.