Plasmons at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface and in the graphene- LaAlO3 / SrTiO3 double layer

Abstract

We study plasmon modes of the two-dimensional electron gas residing at the interface of band insulators $\rm{LaAlO_3}$ and $\rm{SrTiO_3}$ (LAO/STO) and the plasmon excitations of graphene-LAO/STO double layer as well. Considering the electron-electron interaction within random phase approximation, we calculate the plasmon dispersions of both systems numerically and in the long wavelength limit analytical expressions for collective modes are found. One optical mode and two (three) acoustic modes are predicted for the LAO/STO (graphene-LAO/STO) system where only the uppermost acoustic mode of both systems can emerge above the electron-hole continuum depending on the characteristics of each system. In the case of LAO/STO interface, thanks to the spatial separation between $\rm{t_{2g}}$ orbitals, the upper acoustic mode might be undamped at the long wavelength limit depending on the exact value of the dielectric constant of $\rm{SrTiO_3}$. Same as other double layer systems, the interlayer distance for the graphene-LAO/STO system plays a crucial role in damping the upper acoustic mode. Faster damping of all plasmon modes of the present double layer system in comparison with the ones with conventional 2DEG instead of $\rm{t_{2g}}$ electron gas is also found due to heavier effective masses of the gas and also stronger interlayer Coulomb interaction.