Local electronic and magnetic studies of an artificial La2FeCrO6 double perovskite

Through the utilization of element-resolved polarized x-ray probes, the electronic and magnetic state of an artificial La2FeCrO6 double perovskite were explored. Applying unit-cell level control of thin film growth on SrTiO3(111), the rock salt double perovskite structure can be created for this system, which does not have an ordered perovskite phase in the bulk. We find that the Fe and Cr are in the proper 3+ valence state, but, contrary to previous studies, the element-resolved magnetic studies find the moments in field are small and show no evidence of sizable magnetic moments in the remanent state. Based on our findings, we argue that the ground state is consistent with canted antiferromagnetic order. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3455323]