Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and low magnetic damping in epitaxial Li_0.5Al_1.0Fe_1.5O₄ thin films

Magnetic materials with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and low magnetic damping provide promising model systems for high information density storage applications. However, the pool of materials with both PMA and low damping is extremely limited. In this talk, we present our preliminary results on simultaneously achieving PMA and low damping in spinel oxide Li_0.5Al_1.0Fe_1.5O₄ (LAFO) films grown on (001) oriented MgGa₂O₄. SQUID measurements show strong PMA with a low coercivity of 2 mT in the out-of-plane (OOP) configuration, and broadband OOP ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements show a Gilbert damping parameter on the order of 0.001. This damping value rivals those found in yttrium iron garnet films and is the lowest reported to date for a non-garnet structure material with PMA. The relatively simple crystal structure of the spinel compared to the garnets also allows for coherent interfacing with other oxides, diversifying its applications. Our work shows that LAFO is a promising new material in the field of spintronics for high density information storage applications.