Alternation of magnetic anisotropy accompanied by metal-insulator transition in strained ultrathin manganite heterostructures

小林 正起*; Anh, L. D.*; 鈴木 雅弘*; 金田-高田 真悟*; 竹田 幸治; 藤森 伸一; 芝田 悟朗*; 田中 新*; 田中 雅明*; 大矢 忍*; et al.

Physical Review Applied (Internet), 15(6), p.064019_1 - 064019_10, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.15.064019

A fundamental understanding of the interfacial magnetic properties in ferromagnetic heterostructures is essential for utilizing ferromagnetic materials for spintronic device applications. Here, we investigate the interfacial magnetic and electronic structures of epitaxial single-crystalline LaAlO(LAO)/LaSrMnO(LSMO)/Nb:SrTiO(Nb:STO) heterostructures with varying LSMO layer thicknesses, in which the magnetic anisotropy strongly changes with the LSMO thickness due to the delicate balance between strains originating from both the Nb:STO and LAO layers, using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and photoemission spectroscopy. We successfully detect the clear change of the magnetic behavior of the Mn ions concomitant with the thickness-dependent metal-insulator transition. Our results suggest that the double-exchange interaction induces ferromagnetism in the metallic LSMO film under tensile strain caused by the STO substrate, while the superexchange interaction determines the magnetic behavior in the insulating LSMO film under compressive strain originating from the top LAO layer. The change in strain, depending on LSMO layer thickness, is confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscopy. Based on those findings, the formation of a magnetic dead layer near the LAO/LSMO interface is attributed to competition between the superexchange interaction via Mn orbitals under compressive strain and the double-exchange interaction via the orbitals. These findings provide key aspects of ferromagnetic oxide heterostructures for the development of spintronic device applications.

Electronic structure of the high- ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Fe)Sb; X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and resonance photoemission spectroscopy studies

坂本 祥哉*; Tu, N. T.*; 竹田 幸治; 藤森 伸一; Hai, P. N.*; Anh, L. D.*; 若林 勇希*; 芝田 悟朗*; 堀尾 眞史*; 池田 啓祐*; et al.

Physical Review B, 100(3), p.035204_1 - 035204_8, 2019/07

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.100.035204

The electronic structure and the magnetism of the ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Fe)Sb, whose Curie temperature can exceed room temperature, were investigated by means of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), and resonance photoemission spectroscopy (RPES). The line-shape analyses of the XAS and XMCD spectra suggest that the ferromagnetism is of intrinsic origin. The orbital magnetic moments deduced using XMCD sum rules were found to be large, indicating that there is a considerable 3 contribution to the ground state of Fe. From RPES, we observed a strong dispersive Auger peak and nondispersive resonantly enhanced peaks in the valence-band spectra. The latter is a fingerprint of the correlated nature of Fe 3 electrons, whereas the former indicates their itinerant nature. It was also found that the Fe 3 states have a finite contribution to the density of states at the Fermi energy. These states, presumably consisting of majority-spin - hybridized states or minority-spin e states, would be responsible for the ferromagnetic order in this material.

Magnetization process of the -type ferromagnetic semiconductor (In,Fe)As:Be studied by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

坂本 祥哉*; Anh, L. D.*; Hai, P. N.*; 芝田 悟朗*; 竹田 幸治; 小林 正起*; 高橋 文雄*; 小出 常晴*; 田中 雅明*; 藤森 淳*

Physical Review B, 93(3), p.035203_1 - 035203_6, 2016/01

AA2016-0502.pdf:1.1MB

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.93.035203

In order to investigate the mechanism of ferromagnetic ordering in the new -type magnetic semiconductor (In,Fe)As codoped with Be, we have performed X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) studies. The spectral line shapes suggest that the ferromagnetism is intrinsic, originating from Fe atoms incorporated into the zinc-blende-type InAs lattice. The magnetization curves of Fe measured by XMCD were well reproduced by the superposition of a Langevin function representing superparamagnetic (SPM) behavior of nanoscale ferromagnetic domains and a -linear function representing Curie-Weiss paramagnetism even much above the Curie temperatures. The data at 20 K showed a deviation from the Langevin behavior, suggesting a gradual establishment of macroscopic ferromagnetism on lowering temperature. The existence of nanoscale ferromagnetic domains indicated by the SPM behavior suggests spatial fluctuations of Fe concentration on the nanoscale.