Strain-Induced Anisotropy in NiCo2O4 Epitaxial Films

ORAL

Abstract

The room temperature ferrimagnetic spinel structured NiCo2O4 (NCO) has garnered interest due to its potential applications in high-capacity supercapacitors. Additional applications in spintronics necessitate studies on its magnetic behavior, which comes about from the magnetic Co tetrahedral and mixed Ni/Co octahedral sites.

We present SQUID measurements on pulsed laser deposited NCO thin films. Measurements show NCO grown on (001)-oriented MgAl2O4 (MAO) single-crystal substrates display an unconventional out-of-plane magnetic easy axis, overcoming shape anisotropy effects of the thin film. NCO/MAO(110) and NCO/MAO(111) films show in-plane easy axes defined by the crystallographic orientation of the substrate. The anisotropy comes about due to distortion of the local environments around the magnetic cations. Observations are explained using single-ion anisotropy and crystal field theory considerations. Research presented opens possibilities for dynamic control of magnetism based on applied strain.

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Presenters

  • Corbyn Mellinger

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588- 0299, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Authors

  • Corbyn Mellinger

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588- 0299, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

  • Jace C Waybright

    South Dakota State University

  • Xiaozhe Zhang

    University of Nebraska - Lincoln

  • Xiaoshan Xu

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Department of Physics and Astronomy & Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics, University of Nebraska Lincoln