Room Temperature In-plane <100> Magnetic Easy Axis for Fe3O4/SrTiO3(001):Nb Grown by Infrared PLD

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that the magnetic easy-axis of Fe3O4 films grown on SrTiO3:Nb via infrared PLD is in-plane <100>, differing from bulk magnetite, indicating growth method influences magnetic anisotropy.

Contribution

It reveals that the magnetic anisotropy in Fe3O4 films can be tuned by the film growth technique, specifically showing an in-plane <100> easy-axis using infrared PLD.

Findings

Magnetic domains align along in-plane <100> directions.

Remanence and coercivity maxima are along <100> directions.

Growth method influences magnetic anisotropy.

Abstract

We examine the magnetic easy-axis directions of stoichiometric magnetite films grown on SrTiO3:Nb by infrared pulsed-laser deposition. Spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy reveals that the individual magnetic domains are magnetized along the in-plane <100> film directions. Magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements show that the maxima of the remanence and coercivity are also along in-plane <100> film directions. This easy-axis orientation differs from bulk magnetite and films prepared by other techniques, establishing that the magnetic anisotropy can be tuned by film growth.