Epitaxial strain effect on transport properties in Ca sub(2-x)Sr sub(x)RuO sub(4) thin films

We have grown Ca sub(2-x)Sr sub(x)RuO sub(4) (x = 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 2) epitaxial thin films using a pulsed laser deposition method and characterized their structures and magnetotransport properties. We find that the x = 0, 0.1, and 0.5 films grown on LaAlO sub(3) substrates exhibit coherent strain wi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review. B, Condensed matter and materials physics Condensed matter and materials physics, 2013-09, Vol.88 (11)
Main Authors: Miao, Ludi, Zhang, Wenyong, Silwal, Punam, Zhou, Xiaolan, Stern, Ilan, Liu, Tijiang, Peng, Jin, Hu, Jin, Kim, Dae Ho, Mao, Z Q
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anisotropy
Compressive properties
Condensed matter
Epitaxy
Ferromagnetic materials
Strain
Thin films
Transport properties
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Summary:We have grown Ca sub(2-x)Sr sub(x)RuO sub(4) (x = 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 2) epitaxial thin films using a pulsed laser deposition method and characterized their structures and magnetotransport properties. We find that the x = 0, 0.1, and 0.5 films grown on LaAlO sub(3) substrates exhibit coherent strain with tetragonal structure. The nature of strain is dependent on Sr content: the Ca sub(2) RuO sub(4) (x = 0) film features biaxial compressive strain, while the x = 0.5 film shows biaxial tensile strain. The strain in the x = 0.1 film is relatively weak and strongly anisotropic, with compressive strain along the a axis and tensile strain along the b axis. In contrast, the Sr sub(2) RuO sub(4) films show strain relaxation. The epitaxial strain effect leads the properties of the x = 0, 0.1, and 0.5 films to be distinct from those of bulk materials. The bulk material shows antiferromagnetic Mott-insulating properties for x < 0.2 and a nearly ferromagnetic state for x ~ 0.5 [Nakatsuji and Maeno, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2666 (2000) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.2666)], whereas the film displays itinerant ferromagnetism for x = 0 and 0.1 and paramagnetic metal for x = 0.5. Furthermore, in the x = 0 and 0.1 films, we observed distinct fourfold ferromagnetic anisotropy, with the minimum magnetoresistivity along the diagonal directions for x = 0 and a and b directions for x = 0.1. Such evolution of magnetic anisotropy may be associated with the tuning of the spin-orbit coupling by the epitaxial strain.
ISSN:1098-0121
1550-235X