Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 222, 1177-1183 (2013)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2013-01913-1

Review

2-Dimensional oxide electronic gases: Interfaces and surfaces

¹ Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Bât. 510, Université Paris-Sud 11, Centre d'Orsay, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
² DPMC-MaNEP, University of Geneva, 24 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
³ CSNSM, Université Paris-Sud and CNRS/IN2P3, Bâtiments 104 et 108, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France

^a e-mail: marc.gabay@u-psud.fr
^b e-mail: stefano.gariglio@unige.ch; jean-marc.triscone@unige.ch
^c e-mail: andres.santander@csnsm.in2p3.fr

Received: 18 March 2013
Revised: 12 May 2013
Published online: 15 July 2013

Abstract

Numerous solid-state properties depend on the crystal structure. Recently, the idea of searching for novel properties or novel functionalities at artificial interfaces – where a breaking of inversion symmetry and a change in the atomic environment occur – has been developing rapidly and has led to a large new field of research. In this short paper, we will summarize the properties of the 2-d electron gas found at the interface between the two band insulators LaAlO₃ and SrTiO₃, discuss briefly the recent observations of electron gases at oxide surfaces and examine the possible similarities and differences between these exciting systems.