Thickness-dependent magnetic properties of oxygen-deficient EuO

TL;DR

This study investigates how the magnetic properties of oxygen-deficient EuO thin films change with thickness, revealing decreases in magnetic moment and Curie temperature due to surface effects and electronic structure alterations.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the thickness-dependent magnetic behavior of EuO, highlighting the roles of surface effects and electronic state depopulation.

Findings

Magnetic moment decreases with reduced thickness.

Curie temperature decreases with reduced thickness.

Surface effects influence magnetic properties.

Abstract

We have studied how the magnetic properties of oxygen-deficient EuO sputtered thin films vary as a function of thickness. The magnetic moment, measured by polarized neutron reflectometry, and the Curie temperature are found to decrease with reducing thickness. Our results indicate that the reduced number of nearest neighbors, band bending and the partial depopulation of the electronic states that carry the spins associated with the 4f orbitals of Eu are all contributing factors in the surface-induced change of the magnetic properties of EuO$_{1-x}$.