Abstract
The two-dimensional (2D) logarithmic character of Coulomb interaction between charges and the resulting logarithmic confinement is a remarkable inherent property of high dielectric constant (high-κ) thin films with far reaching implications. Most and foremost, this is the charge Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition with the notable manifestation, low-temperature superinsulating topological phase. Here we show that the range of the confinement can be tuned by the external gate electrode and unravel a variety of electrostatic interactions in high-k films. We find that by reducing the distance from the gate to the film, we decrease the spatial range of the 2D long-range logarithmic interaction, changing it to predominantly dipolar or even to exponential one at lateral distances exceeding the dimension of the film-gate separation. Our findings offer a unique laboratory for the in-depth study of topological phase transitions and related phenomena that range from criticality of quantum metal- and superconductor-insulator transitions to the effects of charge-trapping and Coulomb scalability in memory nanodevices.
Highlights
The two-dimensional (2D) logarithmic character of Coulomb interaction between charges and the resulting logarithmic confinement is a remarkable inherent property of high dielectric constant thin films with far reaching implications
The challenging task crucial to applications is establishing the effective tunability of charge-trapping memory (CTM) units allowing for controlling the strength and spatial scale of charge distribution
It can be immediately seen that introducing the gate localizes potential within the smaller h-dependent screening length Λ*< Λ.Panel (b) presents the φ(ρ) plots calculated for the realistic InO/SiO2 structure and different distances to the gate
Summary
The two-dimensional (2D) logarithmic character of Coulomb interaction between charges and the resulting logarithmic confinement is a remarkable inherent property of high dielectric constant (high-κ) thin films with far reaching implications. The major feature of high-κ systems leading to their unique properties, is that the electric field induced by the trapped charge remains confined within the film This ensures the electrostatic integrity and stability with respect to external perturbations and gives rise to the 2D character of the Coulomb interactions between the charges[9,10,11]. There, in the critical vicinity of the superconductor-insulator transition, the superconducting film acquires an anomalously high κ, the Cooper pairs interact according to the logarithmic law, and the system experiences the charge Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition into a state with the infinite resistance Another general consequence of the logarithmic Coulomb interaction, is that the high-κ sheets exhibit the so-called phenomenon of the global Coulomb blockade resulting in a logarithmic scaling of characteristic energies of the system with the relevant screening length, which is the smallest of either Λor the lateral system size. The Poisson equations defining the potential distribution created by the charge assumes the form:
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