Combinatorial Pulsed Laser Deposition of Magnetic and Magneto-optical Sr(GaxTiyFe0.34-0.40)O3-δ Perovskite Films

Ferromagnetic Sr(GaxTiyFe0.34-0.40)O3-delta (0.1 <= x, y <= 0.5) films with single-crystal perovskite structure were epitaxially grown on (001) (LaAlO3)(0.3)(Sr2AlTaO6)(0.7) substrates by combinatorial pulsed laser deposition (CPLD) and compared with previous results from films grown from single targets. In CPLD films the Fe was present as both Fe2+ and Fe3+. The distribution of Sr, Ga, Ti, and O was homogeneous, but Fe-rich nanowires with diameter of 3 nm were present perpendicular to the film plane. The unit cell was tetragonally distorted with the ratio of out-of-plane to in-plane lattice parameter decreasing from 1.06 to 1.02 as the Ga content increased. The magnetic easy axis of the films changed from out-of-plane when Ti content y > 0.3 to isotropic as the Ga content increased, consistent with a reduction in magnetoelastic anisotropy. The Ga lowered the Faraday rotation and the magnetization but increased the optical transmittance.