An approach to reduce the antiferromagnetic coupling of antiphase boundaries in half-metallic magnetite films

Journal Article · Sat Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2013 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4837658· OSTI ID:22217825

Li, P.; Cui, W. Y.; Bai, H. L. ^[1]

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1. Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, Institute of Advanced Materials Physics, Faculty of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

Highly conductive (∼10{sup 5} μΩ cm) Mn doped epitaxial Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} films were fabricated by reactive sputtering. The larger size of magnetic domains compared to grain size with the increasing Mn content indicates that the partial antiferromagnetic coupling across the antiphase boundaries has been weakened, which was further demonstrated by the smaller exchange bias, faster saturated magnetization, and decreasing exchange interaction J{sub AF}. The decrease of antiferromagnetic strength originates from the larger Mn-O bond length than that of Fe-O bond. The first-principle calculation shows that the half-metallic feature (100% spin polarization) of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} was unchanged with the incorporation of Mn atoms.

• OSTI ID: 22217825
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 114, Issue 21; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANTIFERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
ATOMS
BOND LENGTHS
COUPLING
DOPED MATERIALS
EPITAXY
EXCHANGE INTERACTIONS
FERRITES
FILMS
GRAIN SIZE
IRON OXIDES
LAYERS
MAGNETITE
MAGNETIZATION
POLARIZATION
SPIN ORIENTATION
SPUTTERING