SrRuO₃-SrTiO₃ heterostructure as a possible platform for studying unconventional superconductivity in Sr₂RuO₄

There is intense controversy around the unconventional superconductivity in strontium ruthenate, where the various theoretical and experimental studies suggest diverse and mutually exclusive pairing symmetries. Currently, the investigation is solely focused on only one material, Sr₂RuO₄, and the field suffers from the lack of comparison targets. Here, employing a density-functional-theory-based analysis, we show that the heterostructure composed of SrRuO₃ and SrTiO₃ is endowed with all the key characteristics of Sr₂RuO₄, and, in principle, can host superconductivity. Furthermore, we show that competing magnetic phases and associated frustration, naturally affecting the superconducting state, can be tuned by epitaxial strain engineering. This system thus offers an excellent platform for gaining more insight into superconductivity in ruthenates.