The adsorption-controlled growth of LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} by molecular-beam epitaxy

Journal Article · Mon Sep 24 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4755765· OSTI ID:22080463

Brooks, Charles M ^[1]; Misra, Rajiv; Schiffer, Peter ^[2]; Mundy, Julia A ^[3]; Zhang Lei, A; Zikui, Liu ^[4]; Holinsworth, Brian S; O'Neal, Kenneth R; Musfeldt, Janice L ^[5]; Heeg, Tassilo ^[1]; Zander, Willi; Schubert, J ^[6]; Muller, David A ^[3]; Schlom, Darrell G ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-1501 (United States)
2. Department of Physics and Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States)
3. School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (United States)
4. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States)
5. Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States)
6. Peter Gruenberg Institut (PGI-9), JARA-Fundamentals of Future Information Technologies, Research Centre Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany)

We report the growth of single-phase (0001)-oriented epitaxial films of the purported electronically driven multiferroic, LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}, on (111) MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}, (111) MgO, and (0001) 6H-SiC substrates. Film stoichiometry was regulated using an adsorption-controlled growth process by depositing LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} in an iron-rich environment at pressures and temperatures where excess iron desorbs from the film surface during growth. Scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals reaction-free film-substrate interfaces. The magnetization increases rapidly below 240 K, consistent with the paramagnetic-to-ferrimagnetic phase transition of bulk LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}. In addition to the {approx}0.35 eV indirect band gap, optical spectroscopy reveals a 3.4 eV direct band gap at the gamma point.

• OSTI ID: 22080463
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 101, Issue 13; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ADSORPTION
ALUMINATES
ENERGY GAP
FERRITES
FILMS
INFRARED SPECTRA
LAYERS
LUTETIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MAGNETIZATION
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PARAMAGNETISM
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SILICON CARBIDES
SUBSTRATES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA