Microstructure and self-exchange coupling in a YFeO 3 film

J. Scola (1) , P. Boullay (2) , W. Noun (1) , E. Popova (1) , Y. Dumont (1) , A. Fouchet (1) , N. Keller (1)

1 GEMAC - Groupe d'Etude de la Matière Condensée
2 CRISMAT - Laboratoire de cristallographie et sciences des matériaux

The microstructure of a thick film of YFeO3 grown on (100)-SrTiO3 has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The film is divided into two different growth regions with the bottom part characterized by strong contrast variations in the high resolution transmission electron microscopy images indicating the presence of high strain fields. The top part of the film between 50 nm and the film surface shows a preferential growth of (001) YFeO3 ∥ (001) SrTiO3 columns with relaxation into a strain free state. The mosaicity of the film and the grain boundaries determine the exchange coupling between columns and results in a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

Mots clés: Magnetic materials; Transmission electron microscopy; Crystal orientation; Crystal structure; Exchange interactions; Polycrystalline material; Perovskites; Ferromagnetism; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic ordering

Domaines: Matière Condensée [cond-mat]; Matériaux

J. Scola, P. Boullay, W. Noun, E. Popova, Y. Dumont, et al.. Microstructure and self-exchange coupling in a YFeO 3 film. Journal of Applied Physics, 2011, 110 (4), pp.043928. ⟨10.1063/1.3626749⟩. ⟨hal-02070976⟩