Abstract
There is increasing evidence supporting the strong potential of twin walls in ferroic materials as distinct, spatially tunable, functional elements in future electronic devices. Here, we report an increase of about one order of magnitude in conductivity and more robust magnetic interactions at (100)-type twin walls in $\mathrm{L}{\mathrm{a}}_{0.7}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{r}}_{0.3}\mathrm{Mn}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ thin films. The nature and microscopic origin of such distinctive behavior is investigated by combining conductive, magnetic, and force modulation scanning force microscopies with transmission electron microscopy techniques. Our analyses indicate that the observed behavior is due to a severe compressive strained state within an $\ensuremath{\sim}1\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ slab of material centered at the twin walls, promoting stronger Mn $3d\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{O}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}2p$ orbital overlapping leading to a broader bandwidth and enhanced magnetic interactions.
Highlights
INTRODUCTIONDomain walls in ferroic complex oxides are stirring up a lot of interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology owing to their intrinsically distinctive functional behavior relative to that exhibited by the host material [1,2]
Our analyses indicate that the observed behavior is due to a severe compressive strained state within an ∼1 nm slab of material centered at the twin walls, promoting stronger Mn 3d−O 2p orbital overlapping leading to a broader bandwidth and enhanced magnetic interactions
Domain walls in ferroic complex oxides are stirring up a lot of interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology owing to their intrinsically distinctive functional behavior relative to that exhibited by the host material [1,2]
Summary
Domain walls in ferroic complex oxides are stirring up a lot of interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology owing to their intrinsically distinctive functional behavior relative to that exhibited by the host material [1,2]. Among strongly correlated electron oxides, doped manganese perovskites exhibit a variety of phenomena, such as metal-insulator transition, half-metallic character, and cooperative orbital ordering [22]. Using a combination of scanning probe and electron microscopies we are able to correlate this behavior with a strongly compressive state occurring at the TW which promotes stronger Mn 3d−O 2p orbital overlapping leading to a broader bandwidth and enhanced magnetic interactions
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