Improved properties of epitaxial YNixMn1-xO3 films by annealing under high magnetic fields

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that annealing YNixMn1-xO3 films under a high magnetic field enhances their ferromagnetic transition temperature and microstructure, leading to larger grains and improved magnetic properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel annealing process under magnetic fields that improves microstructure and magnetic transition temperatures of YNixMn1-xO3 films.

Findings

Ferromagnetic transition temperature is significantly increased.

Films exhibit larger, more uniform grains after magnetic field annealing.

Microstructure improvements are linked to magnetic-field-driven grain growth.

Abstract

The effect of annealing under a magnetic field on the microstructure and properties of YNixMn1-xO3 (x=0.33 and 0.5) films has been investigated. It is found that the ferromagnetic transition temperature is significantly enhanced after post annealing in the presence of an 8 T magnetic field. Characterization study shows that the microstructure is affected, obtaining larger grains of uniform size when films are annealed under a magnetic field. The improvement in the ordering temperature of all films is interpreted in terms of the grain growth caused by the magnetic-field driving force for boundary motion where the exchange coupling is high.