Significant ferrimagnetisms observed in superlattice composed of antiferromagnetic LaFeO3 and YMnO3

Abstract

A series of LaFeO3/YMnO3 superlattices with various thicknesses are synthesized epitaxially on (001) and (111) SrTiO3 substrates. X-ray diffraction, high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, and sub-nanometer-scale resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy characterizations prove that grown superlattices have designed layer-by-layer structures, and there is atomically sharp interface between two successive constituent layers. Temperature-dependent magnetization and magnetic hysteresis loop measurements substantiate that there is significant ferrimagnetism generated at LaFeO3/YMnO3 interfaces. The generated ferrimagnetism is discussed by considering the magnetic structures in each constituent layer. © 2013 American Institute of Physics.