  By using first-principles density functional theory calculations for
(LaNiO3)m/(SrTiO3)n superlattices, we report a systematic way of electronic
response to the interface geometry. It is found that Fermi level density of
states of metallic nickelate layers is significantly reduced without charge
transfer in the vicinity of interface to the insulating SrTiO3. This type of
electronic state redistribution is clearly distinctive from other interface
phenomena such as charge and orbital reconstruction. Our result sheds new light
towards understanding the nickelates and other transitionmetal oxide
heterostructures.
