Epitaxial strain controlled ferrimagnetic spin compensation in Tm₅Fe₅O₁₂films

Magnetic iron garnet films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) have found many applications in spintronics and proximity effect-based quantum phase engineering. In this work, we study the effects of epitaxial strain on the structural and magnetic properties of Tm₅Fe₅O₁₂ (TIG) films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Samples experiencing different levels of tensile strain are produced by varying the film thickness on different substrates including (111)-oriented Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂(GGG) and substituted GGG (SGGG). Variable-temperature magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) measurements using both polar and longitudinal configurations are carried out to systematically map out the 3D spin orientations. The observed results reveal a non-colinear ferrimagnetic spin compensation process that is highly strain sensitive. The detailed understanding of the ferrimagnetic spin orientation in TIG thin films bring forward new assets highly useful in the design and engineering of magnetic quantum interfaces.