Electric field control of exchange bias in multiferroic epitaxial heterostructures

The magnetic exchange bias between epitaxial thin films of the multiferroic (antiferromagnetic and ferroelectric) hexagonal YMnO3 oxide and a soft ferromagnetic (FM) layer is used to couple the magnetic response of the ferromagnetic layer to the magnetic state of the antiferromagnetic one. We will show that biasing the ferroelectric YMnO3 layer by an appropriate electric field allows modifying and controlling the magnetic exchange bias and subsequently the magnetotransport properties of the FM layer. This finding may contribute to pave the way towards a new generation of electric-field controlled spintronics devices.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, submitte

Isothermal tuning of exchange bias using pulsed fields

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics.Exchange bias,HE, and coercivity,HC, of antiferromagnetic (AFM)/ferromagnetic bilayers can be adjusted, after deposition, at temperatures below the Néel temperature of the AFM by subjecting the samples to large pulsed fields (in excess of HPulse=550 kOe). The efficiency of the process depends on the AFM system and the direction of the applied field with respect of the unidirectional anisotropy direction. Textured (111) Fe19Ni81/Fe50Mn50 bilayers show an HE reduction and a HC increase when the pulse field is applied antiparallel to the unidirectional anisotropy, while they only exhibit a reduction in HC when the pulse is applied parallel to their unidirectional anisotropy. On the other hand, textured (111) NiO/Co bilayers exhibit a change of the angular dependence of HE when the pulse is applied away from the unidirectional anisotropy. The effects could be caused by field induced changes in the domain structure of the AFM or transitions in the AFM (spin-flop or AFM-paramagnetic)

Exchange biasing and electric polarization with YMnO3

We report on the growth and functional characterization of epitaxial thin films of the multiferroic YMnO3. We show that using Pt as a seed layer on SrTiO3(111) substrates, epitaxial YMnO3 films (0001) textured are obtained. An atomic force microscope has been used to polarize electric domains revealing the ferroelectric nature of the film. When a Permalloy layer is grown on top of the YMnO3(0001) film, clear indications of exchange bias and enhanced coercivity are observed at low temperature. The observation of coexisting antiferromagnetism and electrical polarization suggests that the biferroic character of YMnO3 can be exploited in novel devices.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, Applied Physics Letters (in press

Development and integration of oxide spinel thin films into heterostructures for spintronics

Consultable des del TDXTítol obtingut de la portada digitalitzadaEn esta memoria se describe el crecimiento, mediante pulverización catódica rf, de capas delgadas de NiFe2O4 y CoCr2O4 sobre distintos substratos y la subsiguiente caracterización magnética y eléctrica. El objetivo es integrar dichas capas en dispositivos magnetoelectrónicos tales como uniones túnel o filtros de spin. Hemos descubierto que el crecimiento epitaxial permite estabilizar fases nuevas del óxido NiFe2O4, fases que no existen en la forma másiva, y que tienen propiedades remarcablemente distintas. Como por ejemplo: un aumento dramático de la magnetización o la posibilidad de modificar drásticamente sus propiedades de transporte, pudiéndose obtener capas aislantes -como es en forma cerámica- o conductivas. Se ha realizado un estudio sistemático de los efectos del espesor de la capa y de las condiciones de crecimiento sobre las propiedades de magnetotransporte y los mecanismos de crecimiento. Argumentamos que el aumento de la magnetización es debido a la estabilización de una fase NiFe2O4 espinela que es parcialmente inversa, en la que los iones Ni2+ están distribuidos entre las dos posiciones disponibles (tetraédrica y octaédrica) de la estructura. En la forma masiva del material los iones Ni solo se encuentran en los sitios octaédricos. La introducción adicional de vacantes de oxígeno es probablemente la causa de la existencia de una configuración electrónica mixta Fe2+/3+ en la subred octaédrica y de la alta conductividad de las capas. Hemos aprovechado la capacidad de obtener epitaxias de NiFe2O4 ferrimagnéticas conductoras o aislantes para integrarlas en dos distintos dispositivos magnetoelectrónicos: una unión túnel magnética y un filtro de spin. Las capas conductoras de NiFe2O4 se han empleado como electrodos ferrimagnéticos-metálicos en uniones túnel. El otro electrodo magnético es (La,Sr)MnO3 y la barrera túnel SrTiO3. Se ha podido medir una magnetoresistencia túnel importante hasta temperaturas tan altas como 280K. Los valores de magnetoresistencia corresponden a una polarización de spin del NiFe2O4 de aproximadamente un 40%, que es prácticamente independiente de la temperatura. Estos resultados sugieren que la nueva fase conductora que hemos estabilizado es un candidato interesante como fuente de corriente polarizada en spin. Por otra parte, el NiFe2O4 aislante se ha implementado, por primera vez, como barrera túnel en una heteroestructura de filtro de spin. El electrodo magnético es (La,Sr)MnO3 y el electrodo no magnético Au. Hemos observado una magnetoresistencia túnel que alcanza valores de hasta un 50%. A partir de estas medidas, hemos deducido detalles relevantes de la estructura electrónica de la fase parcialmente inversa de NiFe2O4. Hemos crecido el óxido CoCr2O4 sobre distintos substratos, tales como MgO(001) y MgAl2O4(001). Hemos podido comprobar que este óxido presenta una pronunciada tendencia a un crecimiento 3D. Por esta razón, las superficies de la capa no son nunca suficientemente planas y no se pueden usar en heteroestructuras túnel. Sin embargo hemos aprovechado esta característica para controlar el crecimiento de estas estructuras 3D y hemos conseguido la formación de objetos submicrónicos, autoorganizados con formas piramidales muy bien definidas. El estudio detallado del efecto de los parámetros de crecimiento nos ha permitido por una parte, dilucidar cuales son los mecanismos que llevan a una autoorganización tan perfecta y por otra determinar que, en las condiciones adecuadas, se pueden obtener templates totalmente faceteados con múltiples posibilidades para futuras aplicaciones.In this thesis the growth of thin films of NiFe2O4 and CoCr2O4 by RF sputtering on different oxide substrates and the characterization of their magnetic and electric properties is reported. The aim is to integrate the films into spintronic devices namely magnetic tunnel junctions and spin filter. It was found that the epitaxial growth of these films permits to stabilize new phases of NiFe2O4, which are not found for the bulk material and which show remarkably distinct properties. A strong enhancement of the saturation magnetization was found as well as the possibility to tune the electric behaviour of the films from insulating - like in bulk NiFe2O4 - to conducting. A systematic study of the influence of the film thickness and growth parameters on the properties of the films was carried out. The enhancement of the saturation magnetization can be explained by a partially inversed spinel structure, where the Ni2+ ions are distributed over both available sites (octahedral and tetrahedral) of the structure, whereas in bulk NiFe2O4 the Ni2+ ions are only located on the octahedral sites of the structure. An additional introduction of oxygen vacancies causes the formation of mixed valence Fe2+/3+ chains on the octahedral sites and thus a hopping conductivity. We have taken advantage of our ability to obtain epitaxial ferromagnetic NiFe2O4 films of insulating or conducting character to integrate them in two different spintronic devices: the magnetic tunnel junction and the spin filter. The conducting NiFe2O4 was integrated in a magnetic tunnel junction as a magnetic electrode, with a (La,Sr)MnO3 counterelectrode and a SrTiO3 barrier. A magnetoresistance was measured up to a temperature of 280K. The values of the magnetoresistance correspond to a spin-polarization of 40%, which is basically constant in temperature. This results show that the conductive phase of NiFe2O4 is an interesting candidate for the application as a source of highly spin-polarized current. On the other hand the insulating NiFe2O4 has been integrated into a spin filter as the magnetic barrier. The magnetic electrode was again (La,Sr)MnO3 and the counter electrode Au. A magnetoresistance up to 50% was observed. It was possible to deduce the band structure of NiFe2O4 from these measurements. Thin films of CoCr2O4 were grown on different substrates like MgO(001) or MgAl2O4(001). It was found that the material shows a pronounced tendency to grow in a three dimensional manner. Thus the surface of these films is not sufficiently smooth to integrate them into tunnel contacts. However, we were able to control the growth and morphology of the three dimensional structures leading to the formation of submicron self-organized pyramids with a square or elongated base. By a detailed study of the influence of the growth parameters it was possible to elucidate the underlying growth mechanisms and to obtain a fully faceted surface, which can be used in different applications

Strain-induced stabilization of new magnetic spinel structures in epitaxial oxide heterostructures.

We report here on the growth of NiFe2O4 epitaxial thin films of different thickness (3 nm ¿ t ¿ 32 nm) on single crystalline substrates having spinel (MgAl2O4) or perovskite (SrTiO3) structure. Ultrathin films, grown on any of those substrates, display a huge enhancement of the saturation magnetization: we will show that partial cationic inversion may account for this enhancement, although we will argue that suppression of antiparallel collinear spin alignment due to size-effects cannot be excluded. Besides, for thicker films, the magnetization of films on MAO is found to be similar to that of bulk ferrite; in contrast, the magnetization of films on STO is substantially lower than bulk. We discuss on the possible mechanisms leading to this remarkable difference of magnetization

Isothermal tuning of exchange bias using pulsed fields

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics.Exchange bias,HE, and coercivity,HC, of antiferromagnetic (AFM)/ferromagnetic bilayers can be adjusted, after deposition, at temperatures below the Néel temperature of the AFM by subjecting the samples to large pulsed fields (in excess of HPulse=550 kOe). The efficiency of the process depends on the AFM system and the direction of the applied field with respect of the unidirectional anisotropy direction. Textured (111) Fe19Ni81/Fe50Mn50 bilayers show an HE reduction and a HC increase when the pulse field is applied antiparallel to the unidirectional anisotropy, while they only exhibit a reduction in HC when the pulse is applied parallel to their unidirectional anisotropy. On the other hand, textured (111) NiO/Co bilayers exhibit a change of the angular dependence of HE when the pulse is applied away from the unidirectional anisotropy. The effects could be caused by field induced changes in the domain structure of the AFM or transitions in the AFM (spin-flop or AFM-paramagnetic)

Electric-field control of exchange bias in multiferroic epitaxial heterostructures

The magnetic exchange between epitaxial thin films of the multiferroic (antiferromagnetic and ferroelectric) hexagonal YMnO3 oxide and a soft ferromagnetic (FM) layer is used to couple the magnetic response of the FM layer to the magnetic state of the antiferromagnetic one. We will show that biasing the ferroelectric YMnO3 layer by an electric field allows control of the magnetic exchange bias and subsequently the magnetotransport properties of the FM layer. This finding may contribute to paving the way towards a new generation of electric-field controlled spintronic devices

Exchange biasing and electric polarization with YMnO3

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics.We report on the growth and functional characterizations of epitaxialthin films of the multiferroic YMnO3. We show that using Pt as a seed layer on SrTiO3(111) substrates, epitaxialYMnO3films (0001) textured are obtained. An atomic force microscope has been used to polarize electric domains revealing the ferroelectric nature of the film. When a Permalloy layer is grown on top of the YMnO3(0001)film, clear indications of exchange bias and enhanced coercivity are observed at low temperature. The observation of coexisting antiferromagnetism and electrical polarization suggests that the biferroic character of YMnO3 can be exploited in novel devices