Dimensionality-controlled electronic reconstruction in ruthenate heterostructures

Heterostructuring as a means to create artificial analogues of bulk materials allows controlled engineering towards enhancing existing or generating emergent properties. We synthesized superlattices consisting of SrRuO₃ interspaced with SrTiO₃ as a potential platform to investigate unconventional superconductivity, as seen in Sr₂RuO₄. Synchrotron based x-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed charge redistribution as a function of SrTiO₃ layer thickness. Density functional theory calculations support the experimental findings showing the electronic structure evolution as a function of confinement. This work reveals the importance of interlayer coupling to the electronic structure of layered ruthenate systems, with important implications for ruthenate-based unconventional superconductors.