Journal Article

PUBDB-2016-03806

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png From $\mathrm{Fe_3O_4/NiO}$ bilayers to $\mathrm{NiFe_2O_4}$-like thin films through Ni interdiffusion

Kuschel, O. ; Buß, R.Extern* ; Spiess, W.Extern* ; Schemme, T.Extern* ; Wöllermann, J. ; Balinski, K. ; N'Diaye, A. T. ; Kuschel, T.Extern* ; Wollschläger, J. (Corresponding author)Extern* ; Kuepper, K. (Corresponding author)Extern*

2016
Inst. Woodbury, NY

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.94.094423

Abstract: Ferrites with (inverse) spinel structure display a large variety of electronic and magnetic properties, making some of them interesting for potential applications in spintronics. We investigate the thermally induced interdiffusion of Ni$^{2+}$ ions out of NiO into Fe$_3$O$_4$ ultrathin films, resulting in off-stoichiometric nickel ferrite–like thin layers. We synthesized epitaxial Fe$_3$O$_4$ bilayers on Nb-doped SrTiO$_3$(001) substrates by means of reactive molecular beam epitaxy. Subsequently, we performed an annealing cycle comprising three steps at temperatures of 400$^\circ$C, 600$^\circ$C, and 800$^\circ$C under an oxygen background atmosphere. We studied the changes of the chemical and electronic properties as result of each annealing step with help of hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and found a rather homogeneous distribution of Ni and Fe cations throughout the entire film after the overall annealing cycle. For one sample we observed a cationic distribution close to that of the spinel ferrite NiFe$_2$O$_4$. Further evidence comes from low-energy electron diffraction patterns indicating a spinel-type structure at the surface after annealing. Site- and element-specific hysteresis loops performed by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism uncovered the antiferrimagnetic alignment between the octahedral coordinated Ni$^{2+}$ and Fe$^{3+}$ ions and the Fe$^{3+}$ ion in tetrahedral coordination. We find a quite low coercive field of 0.02 T, indicating a rather low defect concentration within the thin ferrite films.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. DOOR-User (DOOR)

Research Program(s):

1. 6G3 - PETRA III (POF3-622) (POF3-622)

Experiment(s):

1. PETRA Beamline P08 (PETRA III)

Appears in the scientific report 2016

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Database coverage:
; ; ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; IF < 5 ; JCR ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Thomson Reuters Master Journal List ; Web of Science Core Collection

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