X-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of epitaxial magnetite ultrathin film on MgO(100)

DOI: 10.1063/1.4916296

Authors: W. Q. Liu (York-Nanjing Joint Center for Spintronics and Nano Engineering) , M. Y. Song (National Taiwan University) , N. J. Maltby (University of York) , S. P. Li (University of York) , J. G. Lin (National Taiwan University) , M. G. Samant (Almaden Research Centre) , S. S. P. Parkin (Almaden Research Centre) , P. Bencok (Diamond Light Source) , P. Steadman (Diamond Light Source) , A Dobrynin (Diamond Light Source) , Y. B. Xu (Nanjing University) , R. Zhang (Nanjing University)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Journal Of Applied Physics , VOL 117

State: Published (Approved)
Published: May 2015

Abstract: The spin and orbital magnetic moments of the Fe3O4 epitaxial ultrathin film synthesized by plasma assisted simultaneous oxidization on MgO(100) have been studied with X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The ultrathin film retains a rather large total magnetic moment, i.e., (2.73 ± 0.15) μ B/f.u., which is ∼70% of that for the bulk-like Fe3O4. A significant unquenched orbital moment up to 0.54 ± 0.05 μ B/f.u. was observed, which could come from the symmetry breaking at the Fe3O4/MgO interface. Such sizable orbital moment will add capacities to the Fe3O4-based spintronics devices in the magnetization reversal by the electric field.

Journal Keywords: Crystal Structure; Electric Fields; Epitaxy; Ferrites; Interfaces; Iron Oxides; Magnesium Oxides; Magnetic Circular Dichroism; Magnetic Moments; Magnetite; Magnetization; Spin; Symmetry Breaking; Thin Films; X Radiation

Subject Areas: Physics


Instruments: I10-Beamline for Advanced Dichroism