X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption of strained CoO and MnO thin films

The aim of this project was to study the influence of epitaxial strain on the electronic and magnetic structure of transition metal oxide layers. In the first part of the thesis the discovery of characteristic diffuse X-ray scattering patterns is reported. They are caused by the misfit dislocations, which appear in the layers if their thickness exceeds the so-called critical thickness. In the remaining part of the thesis it is shown using XAS spectroscopy that the spin direction in the CoO layers is determined by the sign of the strain. It is here also discussed how such CoO layers with controlled spin orientation can influence the spin orientation in adjacent MnO thin films.