Reversible modulation of electric transport properties by oxygen absorption and releasing on Nb:SrTiO3 surface

Pt Schottky contacts on (001)-orientated Nb-doped SrTiO3 (NSTO) in both ambient air and vacuum were investigated by the conductive atomic force microscope. The co-existed TiO2 and SrO termination layers were identified on the terrace-structured NSTO surface, where the former possessed a higher forward current than the latter. In ambient air, the barrier height of Pt/NSTO Schottky junction exhibited periodical variation with cyclic terrace plane and step sites, whereas it became homogeneous in ambient vacuum. We suggested that the oxygen absorption and releasing of surface dangling bonds were the origin for reversible changes in transport properties, which indicates a feasible approach for the surface modulation and band structure tailoring of NSTO based heterojunctions. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.