Tailoring magnetic interlayer coupling in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 superlattices.

Authors :: Ziese M
Vrejoiu I
Pippel E
Esquinazi P
Hesse D
Etz C
Henk J
Ernst A
Maznichenko IV
Hergert W
Mertig I
Source :: Physical review letters [Phys Rev Lett] 2010 Apr 23; Vol. 104 (16), pp. 167203. Date of Electronic Publication: 2010 Apr 21.
Publication Year :: 2010
Abstract: The magnetic interlayer coupling in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 superlattices was investigated. High quality superlattices with ultrathin La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 and SrRuO3 layers were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition. The superlattices grew coherently with Mn/Ru intermixing restricted to about one interfacial monolayer. Strong antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling depended delicately on magnetocrystalline anisotropy and intermixing at interfaces. Ab initio calculations elucidated that the antiferromagnetic coupling is mediated by the Mn-O-Ru bond. The theoretical calculations allowed for a quantitative correlation between the total magnetic moment of the superlattice and the degree of Mn/Ru intermixing.