Epitaxial Ferroelectric Heterostructures : Writing Electronic Nanofeatures and Electrostatic Modulation of High Tc Superconductivity

Charles Ahn,
Univerisity of Geneva

Using scanning probe microscopy and atomically smooth, epitaxial ferroelectric oxides, we have written electronic nanofeatures in ferroelectric/metallic oxide heterostructures. This approach allows one to achieve reversible, nonvolatile local electronic doping without lithographic processing or permanent metallic electrical contacts. We have also used the polarization field of a ferroelectric to shift the doping level of the high temperature superconductors in ferroelectric/high Tc heterostructures, modulating reversibly the transition temperature without introducing chemical or structural disorder.