Large positive linear magnetoresistance in the two-dimensional t _2g electron gas at the EuO/SrTiO₃ interface

The development of novel nano-oxide spintronic devices would benefit greatly from interfacing with emergent phenomena at oxide interfaces. In this paper, we integrate highly spin-split ferromagnetic semiconductor EuO onto perovskite SrTiO₃ (001). A careful deposition of Eu metal by molecular beam epitaxy results in EuO growth via oxygen out-diffusion from SrTiO₃. This in turn leaves behind a highly conductive interfacial layer through generation of oxygen vacancies. Below the Curie temperature of 70 K of EuO, this spin-polarized two-dimensional t _2g electron gas at the EuO/SrTiO₃ interface displays very large positive linear magnetoresistance (MR). Soft x-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SX-ARPES) reveals the t _2g nature of the carriers. First principles calculations strongly suggest that Zeeman splitting, caused by proximity magnetism and oxygen vacancies in SrTiO₃, is responsible for the MR. This system offers an as-yet-unexplored route to pursue proximity-induced effects in the oxide two-dimensional t _2g electron gas.