Ferrimagnetism and spontaneous ordering of transition-metals in La2CrFeO6 double-perovskite films

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the synthesis of highly ordered La2CrFeO6 double-perovskite films with ferrimagnetic properties, revealing the magnetic ground state and opening avenues for exploring novel magnetic phenomena in transition-metal perovskites.

Contribution

It provides the first clear evidence of ferrimagnetism in La2CrFeO6 double-perovskite films and details the conditions for achieving high atomic order.

Findings

Achieved a low antisite-disorder fraction of 0.05 in La2CrFeO6 films.

Observed a saturation magnetization of approximately 2 μB per formula unit at 5 K.

Confirmed the ferrimagnetic ground state of La2CrFeO6.

Abstract

We report on atomic ordering of B-site transition-metals and magnetic properties of epitaxial La2CrFeO6 double-perovskite films grown by pulsed-laser deposition under various conditions. The highest ordered sample exhibited a fraction of antisite-disorder of only 0.05 and a saturation magnetization of ~2\mu_{B} per formula unit at 5 K. The result is consistent with the antiferromagnetic ordering of local spin moment (3d^{3}_{\downarrow}3d^{5}_{\uparrow}; S = -3/2+5/2 = 1). Therefore, the magnetic ground state of La2CrFeO6 double-perovskite that has been long debate is unambiguously revealed to be ferrimagnetic. Our results present a wide opportunity to explore novel magnetic properties of binary transition-metal perovskites upon epitaxial stabilization of the ordered phase.