Electric field-controlled reversible high-temperature perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in cobaltate-manganite heterostructures

Electric field-controlled perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in strongly correlated oxides can be a crucial technical strategy to realize ultralow-power-dissipation spintronic devices. In this report, we have overcome the major obstacle of the magnetic easy axis of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) films along the in-plane orientation owing to the effect of demagnetization. Herein, guided by first-principles calculations, we synthesized high-quality brownmillerite SrCoO2.5 (SCO)/LSMO bilayer heterostructures on (001)-oriented SrTiO3 substrates. Magnetism and magneto-transport measurements reveal that the LSMO layer exhibits an obvious preferential out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy in the bilayer structure, which is completely different from the in-plane magnetic easy axis in a single LSMO film. Specifically, the robust PMA is sustained up to 250 K, which is higher than the PMA in SrRuO3 films. In addition, the results from the X-ray linear dichroism measurement confirm that the electron occupancy state of the LSMO layer in the bilayer structure are the out-of-plane 3z(2)-r(2) orbital. Furthermore, the electric field-reversible tunable high-temperature PMA of the LSMO layer is achieved by manipulating the phase transition in the top layer of B-SCO driven by ionic-liquid-gating. This work not only provides a special reversible high-temperature PMA material controllable by an electric field but also facilitates the development of manganite oxide-based electronic components.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the achievement of electric field-controlled perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) with excellent performance in strongly correlated oxides. By synthesizing high-quality bilayer heterostructures, the researchers successfully create a bilayer structure with out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy, which is different from the in-plane magnetic easy axis in a single film. The electric field-reversible tunable high-temperature PMA is achieved by manipulating the phase transition in the top layer, enabling the development of oxide-based electronic components.