Nonconventional magnetic phenomena in neodymium thin film

TL;DR

This study investigates the electrical and magnetic properties of neodymium thin films, revealing their poor conductivity and weak magnetism induced under moderate magnetic fields at low temperatures, which differ from bulk neodymium behavior.

Contribution

It provides the first combined experimental and theoretical analysis of neodymium thin films, highlighting their atypical magnetic and electrical properties compared to bulk material.

Findings

Nd thin film is a poor electrical conductor.

Weak magnetism is induced under moderate in-plane magnetic field at low temperatures.

Magnetoresistance shows unusual crossover behavior at T < 18 K.

Abstract

Neodymium is a remarkable active component in numerous magnetic alloys that are used in various applications. However, the application of bare neodymium thin film is limited due to the lack of information about its electrical and magnetic properties. We report synergistic study of Nd thin film using experimental and theoretical techniques of polarized neutron reflectometry, magnetoresistance measurement and density functional theory. Unlike bulk Nd, thin film specimen is a very poor electrical conductor. Also, as grown thin film on silicon substrate does not exhibit any magnetism in zero field. However, moderate inplane field application of $H$ = 1.2 T tends to induce weak magnetism in the system at low temperature of $T$ $<$ 18 K, which coincides with an unusual cross-over behavior in magnetoresistance. The study provides important insight in the physical characteristics of Nd thin film that are atypical for a magnetic system.