Carrier-number fluctuations in the 2-dimensional electron gas at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface

The voltage-spectral density SV (f) of the 2-dimensional electron gas formed at the interface of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 has been thoroughly investigated. The low-frequency component has a clear 1/f behavior with a quadratic bias current dependence, attributed to resistance fluctuations. However, its temperature dependence is inconsistent with the classical Hooge model, based on carrier-mobility fluctuations. The experimental results are, instead, explained in terms of carrier-number fluctuations, due to an excitation-trapping mechanism of the 2-dimensional electron gas.