Magnetic Oxide Thin Films

Spin dependent electron transport in magnetic materials is the basic physical mechanism for spintronics. For the integration in spintronics devices, magnetic materials have to be structured at the nanoscale, either as thin films or in nanostructures. It is important, therefore, to have a complete understanding of the physical properties of magnetic structures at such small scales. Our focus is at the investigation of the properties like magnetization, spin polarization, or conductivity for nanometric thin films and nanostructures. Our methodology, in addition to conventional magnetotransport characterization, includes also conductive atomic force microscopy as well as magneto-optics to analyze electronic transport at optical frequencies.

Selection of our recent publications:

• Monitoring B-site ordering and strain relaxation in NiFe2O4 epitaxial films by polarized Raman spectroscopy. Phys. Rev. B 83, 014108 (2011).

• Nontunnel transport through CoFe2O4 nanometric barriers. Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 242508 (2010)

• Strong magnetorefractive and quadratic magneto-optical effects in Pr0.4La0.6)0.7Ca0.3MnO3. Phys. Rev. B 82, 140410(R) (2010).

• Large magnetorefractive effect in magnetite. New J. Phys. 12 103023 (2010).

• Andreev reflection in ferrimagnetic CoFe2O4 spin filters. Phys. Rev. B 81, 174415 (2010).