Ferromagnetic Insulator Thin Films Based on Ni/Mn Double Perovskite

By Mónica Emperatriz Bernal Salamanca, from the Advanced Characterization and Nanostructured Materials (ACNM) Group at ICMAB-CSIC

Date: Thursday 27 January 2022
Time: 11:00 am
Venue: ICMAB Sala d'Actes "Carles Miravitlles" and online session by Zoom. Register here to attend by Zoom.

Abstract: Double perovskite oxides of the R₂NiMnO₆ family (were R is a rare earth element) have received considerable attention as ferromagnetic insulators. Their multifunctional physical properties make them potential candidates for technological applications in spintronic devices. In this work, we present a detailed study on the epitaxial growth of La2NiMnO6 and Pr2NiMnO6 double perovskite thin films by RF magnetron sputtering. The influence of growth parameters (i.e., oxygen pressure, growth temperature and annealing) on the structural properties, microstructure, stoichiometry, and magnetic and transport properties of the films is thoroughly investigated. In addition, the nature of the ferromagnetic interaction between Ni and Mn ions in RNMO compounds is elucidated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. After optimization of the growth conditions, we demonstrate that high-quality epitaxial, insulating and ferromagnetic thin films of LNMO and PNMO, with good B-site cationic ordering (i.e., TC and Ms very close to the bulk value), can be prepared despite a certain degree of non-stoichiometry by RF sputtering technique.

Supervisor:

• Dr. Lluís Balcells Argemí. Advanced Characterization and Nanostructured Materials (ACNM) Group, ICMAB-CSIC
• Dr. Zorica Konstantinović, Institute of Physics Belgrade

PhD Committee:

• President: Alfonso Cebollada Navarro, Instituto de Micro y Nanotecnología, IMN-CSIC
• Secretary: Narcís Mestres, Superconducting Materials and Large Scale Nanostructures (SUMAN) Group, ICMAB-CSIC
• Vocal: Montse Garcia del Muro, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, UB

University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
PhD Programme: Physics Programme