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arXiv · 1602.05804

Electronic and magnetic structure of epitaxial NiO/Fe$_3$O$_4$(001) heterostructures grown on MgO(001) and Nb-doped SrTiO$_3$(001)

K. Kuepper·O. Kuschel·N. Pathé·T. Schemme·J. Schmalhorst·A. Thomas·E. Arenholz M. Gorgoi·R. Ovsyannikov·S. Bartkowski·G. Reiss·J. Wollschläger
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Abstract

We study the underlying chemical, electronic and magnetic properties of a number of magnetite based thin films. The main focus is placed onto NiO/Fe$_3$O$_4$(001) bilayers grown on MgO(001) and Nb-SrTiO$_3$(001) substrates. We compare the results with those obtained on pure Fe$_3$O$_4$(001) thin films. It is found that the magnetite layers are oxidized and Fe$^{3+}$ dominates at the surfaces due to maghemite ($γ$-Fe$_2$O$_3$) formation, which decreases with increasing magnetite layer thickness. From a layer thickness of around 20 nm on the cationic distribution is close to that of stoichiometric Fe$_3$O$_4$. At the interface between NiO and Fe$_3$O$_4$ we find the Ni to be in a divalent valence state, with unambiguous spectral features in the Ni 2p core level x-ray photoelectron spectra typical for NiO. The formation of a significant NiFe$_2$O$_4$ interlayer can be excluded by means of XMCD. Magneto optical Kerr effect measurements reveal significant higher coercive fields compared to magnetite thin films grown on MgO(001), and a 45$^{\circ}$ rotated magnetic easy axis. We discuss the spin magnetic moments of the magnetite layers and find that the moment increases with increasing thin film thickness. At low thickness the NiO/Fe$_3$O$_4$ films grown on Nb-SrTiO$_3$ exhibits a significantly decreased spin magnetic moments. A thickness of 20 nm or above leads to spin magnetic moments close to that of bulk magnetite.

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K. Kuepper, O. Kuschel, N. Pathé, T. Schemme, J. Schmalhorst, A. Thomas, E. Arenholz M. Gorgoi, R. Ovsyannikov, S. Bartkowski, G. Reiss, J. Wollschläger. 2016-02-18. Electronic and magnetic structure of epitaxial NiO/Fe$_3$O$_4$(001) heterostructures grown on MgO(001) and Nb-doped SrTiO$_3$(001). https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.94.024401

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