Structure and Magnetic Properties of Nd0.88MnO3 Films Grown on SrTiO3 (100) Substrates by Liquid-Injection MOCVD.

In this study, we investigated the structure and magnetic properties of Nd_0.88MnO₃ (NMO) perovskite thin-film layers by liquid-injection metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tried on SrTiO₃ (STO) (100) substrates. The structural examinations showed that the growing film was amorphous. It changed to the crystalline phase after being annealed at 900°C in air for 24 h. A minor secondary phase identified as Mn₃O₄ appeared. The film was subjected to in-plane (IP) tensile stress leading to a contraction of the film's out-of-plane (OOP) lattice parameters. The orientation relationships for the film structure are described near the interface as 10 1 ¯ NMO// 100 STO and 010 NMO// 001 STO. The NMO thin film showed ferromagnetic ordering with a transition temperature T_C = 85 K. The large bifurcation between ZFC and FC curves with a cusp at T_f = 53 K; and an irreversible temperature T_irr = 48 K proves that the spin-glass behavior with long-range ferromagnetic order (Mn³⁺-O²⁻-Mn⁴⁺) co-exists in NMO thin films. The magnetic easy axis corresponded to the surface normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]