Magnetic Properties of Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 Superlattices

TL;DR

This study fabricates and analyzes Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 superlattices, revealing how layer symmetry influences magnetic coupling and reversal mechanisms, with potential implications for magnetic device engineering.

Contribution

It demonstrates the impact of SrRuO3 layer symmetry on magnetic coupling strength and reversal behavior in Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 superlattices, using advanced microscopy and magnetometry.

Findings

Orthorhombic SrRuO3 layers exhibit stronger interlayer exchange coupling.

Superlattices show antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling at low fields.

Orthorhombic symmetry leads to a partially inverted hysteresis loop.

Abstract

High-quality Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 superlattices were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition and were investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and SQUID magnetometry. Superlattices with orthorhombic and tetragonal SrRuO3 layers were investigated. The superlattices grew coherently; in the growth direction Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 layers were terminated by MnO2- and SrRuO3 layers by RuO2-planes. All superlattices showed antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling in low magnetic fields. The coupling strength was significantly higher for orthorhombic than for tetragonal symmetry of the SrRuO3 layers. The strong interlayer exchange coupling in the superlattice with orthorhombic SrRuO3 layers led to a magnetization reversal mechanism with a partially inverted hysteresis loop.