Linear magnetoresistance and weak antilocalization in a LaVO3/KTaO3 heterostructure

In this paper, we report a detailed magnetotransport study on the conducting interface formed by juxtaposed LaVO₃ (LVO) thin film on KTaO₃ (KTO) substrate. Magnetoresistance (MR) shows a crossover from quadratic dependence to linear dependence at critical applied magnetic fields (B*) for both in-plane (B ∥ I) and out-of-plane (B ⊥ I) configurations. The negative magnetoresistance and parabolic dependence of the B* on temperature suggests the presence of linear band dispersion. In addition to linear magnetoresistance (LMR) at high magnetic fields, we have also observed weak antilocalization (WAL) cusp in magnetoresistance at low magnetic fields and temperatures for both in-plane and out-of-plane field configurations. Maekawa-Fukuyama (MF) theory is used to analyze the WAL data, which indicates the presence of two conduction channels. Angle dependence of WAL analysis shows that the conducting channels are not restricted to two dimensions. Temperature-dependent study reveals the presence of electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering mechanisms. Our analysis suggests the presence of a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas with linear band dispersion at the interface of LaVO₃ and KTaO₃.