Effect of thickness and strain on the metamagnetic transition temperature of ultra-thin epitaxial FeRh films

ORAL

Abstract

The antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic transition in ultra-thin epitaxial FeRh films was studied as a function of film thickness and substrate-induced strain. The lattice mismatch from MgO, STO and KTO was used to provide different strain states on FeRh films with thicknesses spanning 5 to 22 nm. The interplay of these parameters was studied using magnetometry, diffractometry, atomic force microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Our results provide insight into the growth mechanisms of FeRh and how the onset of the magnetic transition can be controlled via strain engineering.

*This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the Department of Energy.

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Authors

  • Alejandro Ceballos

    • Univ of California - Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720

  • Catherine Bordel

    • UC Berkeley Physics Department
    • Univ of California - Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720

  • Oliver Schneider

    • Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg

  • Frances Hellman

    • UC Berkeley Physics Department
    • Univ of California - Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
    • UC Berkeley Physics and Materials Sciences and Engineering Departments, and Materials Sciences Division, LBNL