Abstract
We have investigated structural, transport, and optical properties of tensile strained (Sr1−xLax)3Ir2O7 (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05) epitaxial thin films. While high-Tc superconductivity is predicted theoretically in the system, we have observed that all of the samples remain insulating with finite optical gap energies and Mott variable-range hopping characteristics in transport. Cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy indicates that structural defects such as stacking faults appear in this system. The insulating behavior of the La-doped Sr3Ir2O7 thin films is presumably due to disorder-induced localization and ineffective electron doping of La, which brings to light the intriguing difference between epitaxial thin films and bulk single crystals of the iridates.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-14-2018
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.2.024803
Funding Information
We acknowledge the support of NSF Grants No. DMR-1454200 (for thin-film synthesis and characterizations), No. DMR-1265162 and No. DMR-1712101 (for target synthesis), and No. DMR-1262261 (for infrared spectroscopy).
Repository Citation
Souri, Maryam; Terzic, Jsaminka; Johnson, J. M.; Connell, John G.; Gruenewald, John H.; Thompson, J.; Brill, Joseph W.; Hwang, J.; Cao, Gang; and Seo, Sung S. Ambrose, "Electronic and Optical Properties of La-Doped Sr3Ir2O7 Epitaxial Thin Films" (2018). Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications. 580.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/physastron_facpub/580
Notes/Citation Information
Published in Physical Review Materials, v. 2, issue 2, 024803, p. 1-6.
©2018 American Physical Society
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