  Nanoscale control over electron transport at scales that are comparable to
the Fermi wavelength or mean-free path can lead to new families of electronic
devices. Here we report electrical rectification in nanowires formed by
nanoscale control of the metal-insulator transition at the interface between
LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. Controlled in-plane asymmetry in the confinement potential
produces electrical rectification in the nanowire, analogous to what occurs
naturally for Schottky diodes or by design in structures with engineered
structural inversion asymmetry. Nanostructures produced in this manner may be
useful for electro-optic applications or in spintronic devices.
