Strain control spin reorientation transition in DyFeO(3)/SrTiO(3) epitaxial film

Abstract

We grew single phase DyFeO3 (110) epitaxial films on SrTiO3(001) substrates in the layer-by-layer mode using the pulsed laser deposition. The Fe L-2,L-3-edge x-ray magnetic linear dichroism and magnetic hysteresis confirm that the film shows the spin-canted antiferromagnetism at room temperature and undergoes the spin reorientation transition (SRT) upon cooling as the bulk. The SRT temperature is significantly reduced in the thin films due to the compressive strain and becomes below 5 K for the thickness less than or similar to 50 angstrom. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3623756]