Modulating the magneto-transport properties of epitaxial SrRuO₃ (111) thin films by controlling the defects

(111) oriented perovskite transition metal-oxide is believed to host topological states due to their buckled honeycomb lattice structure¹. Further, SrRuO₃ (SRO) films along (111) are predicted to have emergent phases such as Haldane’s quantum Hall state even without the presence of any magnetic field². In this regard, we have grown high-quality epitaxial SRO thin films using the RHEED-assisted PLD on atomically terminated SrTiO₃ (111). These films are characterized using XRD, magnetic, and magnetoresistance (MR) /Hall transport studies.

We have investigated the dependency of the Residual Resistivity Ratio (RRR) on the transport properties of SRO. Although the variation of RRR has a minimal effect on the magnetic properties, its influence is found to be prominent on the transport regime. Films grown under different deposition conditions show a systematic change in RRR, but no such systematic correlation with the MR data, like the reports in the literature. We have observed an unusually high positive MR and a consistent Hall transport study in the ultra-thin films of (111) oriented SRO, which are promising for future studies on this Weyl semimetal candidate.

¹D. Xiao et. al Nat. Commun. 2, 596 (2011).

²L. Si et. al PRL 119, 026402 (2017).