Letter abstract
Nature Physics 2, 244 - 248 (2006)
doi:10.1038/nphys272
Subject Categories: Condensed-matter physics | Materials physics | Nuclear physics
Magnetism at the interface between ferromagnetic and superconducting oxides
J. Chakhalian1,2, J. W. Freeland3, G. Srajer3, J. Strempfer1, G. Khaliullin1, J. C. Cezar4, T. Charlton5, R. Dalgliesh5, C. Bernhard1, G. Cristiani1, H.-U. Habermeier1 and B. Keimer1
Carefully controlled interfaces between two materials can give rise to novel physical phenomena and functionalities not exhibited by either of the constituent materials alone. Modern synthesis methods have yielded high-quality heterostructures of oxide materials with competing order parameters. Although magnetic correlations at the interface are expected to be important in determining the macroscopic properties of such systems, a quantitative determination of the interfacial magnetization profile has thus far not been reported. Here we examine superlattices composed of the half-metallic ferromagnet La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 and the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7 by absorption spectroscopy with circularly polarized X-rays and by off-specular neutron reflectometry. The resulting data yield microscopic insight into the interplay of spin and orbital degrees of freedom at the interface. The experiments also reveal an extensive rearrangement of the magnetic domain structure at the superconducting transition temperature. This methodology establishes an incisive probe of the interplay between competing electronic order parameters in oxide heterostructures.
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart D-70561, Germany
- University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
- Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 38043 Grenoble, CEDEX 9, France
- ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QX, UK
Correspondence to: J. Chakhalian1,2 e-mail: j.chakhalian@fkf.mpg.de
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Complex oxides Interfaces on stageNature Physics News and Views (01 Apr 2006)
Complex oxides A tale of two enemiesNature Materials News and Views (01 Apr 2009)
See all 7 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Full bulk spin polarization and intrinsic tunnel barriers at the surface of layered manganitesNature Materials Article (01 Jan 2005)
Supplementary InformationNature Materials Letter (01 Apr 2009)
See all 74 matches for Research
