Intrinsic exchange bias from interfacial reconstruction in an epitaxial NixCoyFe3–x–yO4(111)/α-Al2O3(0001) thin film family
- Shanghai University (China); Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)
Intrinsic exchange bias is known as the unidirectional exchange anisotropy that emerges in a nominally single-component ferro-(ferri-)magnetic system. In this work, with magnetic and structural characterizations, we demonstrate that intrinsic exchange bias is a general phenomenon in (Ni, Co, Fe)-based spinel oxide films deposited on α-Al2O3(0001) substrates, due to the emergence of a rock-salt interfacial layer consisting of antiferromagnetic CoO from interfacial reconstruction. We show that in NixCoyFe3–x–yO4(111)/α-Al2O3(0001) films, intrinsic exchange bias and interfacial reconstruction have consistent dependences on Co concentration y, while the Ni and Fe concentration appears to be less important. This work establishes a family of intrinsic exchange bias materials with great tunability by stoichiometry and highlights the strategy of interface engineering in controlling material functionalities.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 2455060
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter, Journal Name: Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter Journal Issue: 50 Vol. 36; ISSN 0953-8984
- Publisher:
- IOP PublishingCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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