6533b82cfe1ef96bd1290214
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Magnetic domain structure of La0.7Sr0.3MnO 3 thin-films probed at variable temperature with scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis
Christian MixRobert M. ReeveGerhard JakobMathias KläuiMichael FoersterMarkus Königsubject
010302 applied physicsCondensed Matter - Materials ScienceKerr effectMaterials sciencePhysics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)Spin polarizationMagnetic domainCondensed matter physics530 PhysicsScanning electron microscopeMaterials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)FOS: Physical sciences02 engineering and technology530 Physik021001 nanoscience & nanotechnologyPolarization (waves)01 natural sciencesMagnetizationMagnetic anisotropy0103 physical sciences0210 nano-technologyAnisotropydescription
The domain configuration of 50 nm thick La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films has been directly investigated using scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA), with magnetic contrast obtained without the requirement for prior surface preparation. The large scale domain structure reflects a primarily four-fold anisotropy, with a small uniaxial component, consistent with magneto-optic Kerr effect measurements. We also determine the domain transition profile and find it to be in agreement with previous estimates of the domain wall width in this material. The temperature dependence of the image contrast is investigated and compared to superconducting-quantum interference device magnetometry data. A faster decrease in the SEMPA contrast is revealed, which can be explained by the technique's extreme surface sensitivity, allowing us to selectively probe the surface spin polarization which due to the double exchange mechanism exhibits a distinctly different temperature dependence than the bulk magnetization.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-01-01 | Applied Physics Letters |