Mobility Modulation and Suppression of Defect Formation in Two-Dimensional Electron Systems by Charge-Transfer Management

Electron mobility is one of the most-debated key attributes of low-dimensional electron systems emerging at complex oxide heterointerfaces. However, a common understanding of how electron mobility can be optimized in these systems has not been achieved so far. Here, we discuss a novel approach for achieving a systematic increase in electron mobility in polar/nonpolar perovskite interfaces by suppressing the thermodynamically required defect formation at the nanoscale. We discuss the transport properties of electron gases established at interfaces between SrTiO₃ and various polar perovskites [LaAlO₃, NdGaO₃, and (La,Sr)(Al,Ta)O₃], allowing for the individual variation of epitaxial strain and charge transfer among these epitaxial interfaces. As we show, the reduced charge transfer at (La,Sr)(Al,Ta)O₃/SrTiO₃ interfaces yields a systematic increase in electron mobility, while the reduced epitaxial strain has only minor impact. As thermodynamic continuum simulations suggest, the charge transfer across these interfaces affects both the spatial distribution of electrons and the background distribution of ionic defects, acting as major scatter centers within the potential well. Easing charge transfer in (La,Sr)(Al,Ta)O₃/SrTiO₃ yields an enlarged spatial separation of mobile charge carriers and scattering centers, as well as a reduced driving force for the formation of ionic defects at the nanoscale. Our results suggest a general recipe for achieving electron enhancements at oxide heterostructure interfaces and provide new perspectives for atomistic understanding of electron scattering in these systems.