Spin and orbital moments of nanoscale Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} epitaxial thin film on MgO/GaAs(100)

Journal Article · Mon Apr 07 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4871001· OSTI ID:22261565

Liu, W. Q.; Wong, P. K. J.; Maltby, N. J.; Li, S. P. ^[1]; Wang, X. F.; Du, J. ^[2]; You, B. ^[3]; Wu, J. ^[4]; Bencok, P. ^[5]

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1. Spintronics and Nanodevice Laboratory, Department of Electronics, University of York, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom)
2. York-Nanjing Joint Centre of Spintronics, School of Electronics Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)
3. National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)
4. Department of Physics, University of York, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom)
5. Diamond Light Source, Didcot OX11 0DE (United Kingdom)

Nanoscale Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} epitaxial thin film has been synthesized on MgO/GaAs(100) spintronic heterostructure, and studied with X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. We have observed a total magnetic moment (m{sub l+s}) of (3.32 ± 0.1)μ{sub B}/f.u., retaining 83% of the bulk value. Unquenched orbital moment (m{sub l}) of (0.47 ± 0.05)μ{sub B}/f.u. has been confirmed by carefully applying the sum rule. The results offer direct experimental evidence of the bulk-like total magnetic moment and a large orbital moment in the nanoscale fully epitaxial Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/MgO/GaAs(100) heterostructure, which is significant for spintronics applications.

• OSTI ID: 22261565
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 104; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
EPITAXY
FERRITES
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
IRON OXIDES
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MAGNETIC CIRCULAR DICHROISM
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
NANOSTRUCTURES
SPIN
THIN FILMS
X RADIATION