Polished single crystal LAO surfaces show twin defects visible to the naked eye.

Epitaxially grown thin films of LAO can serve various purposes for correlated electrons heterostructures and devices.

In 2004, it was discovered that when 4 or more unit cells of LAO are epitaxially grown on strontium titanate (SrTiO3, STO), a conductive 2-dimensional layer is formed at their interface.

[4] Individually, LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 are non-magnetic insulators, yet LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces exhibit electrical conductivity,[4] superconductivity,[5] ferromagnetism,[6] large negative in-plane magnetoresistance,[7] and giant persistent photoconductivity.

Single crystals of lanthanum aluminate are commercially available as a substrate for the epitaxial growth of perovskites,[1][9] and particularly for cuprate superconductors.