Sr2FeMoO6 nanosized compound with dielectric sheaths for magnetically sensitive spintronic devices

Abstract

Single-phase agglomerated Sr2FeMoO6-δ powders with the iron and molybdenum cations superstructural ordering of 88% were synthesized by sol-gel technique from the Sr(NO3)2 and Fe(NO3)3·9H2O solutions with pH = 4. The ultrasound dispersion enabled us to obtain 75 nm grains. Powders were pressed with 4 GPa to receive the ceramics. The additional annealing at 700 K promoted the appearance of 7.5% SrMoO4 phase. The nanocomposite with dielectric sheaths around the grains was obtained. Magnetization temperature dependences in zero-field cooled mode revealed inhomogeneous magnetic states. At temperature below 19 K, the superparamagnetic state is observed. Temperature increase leads to a realization of the stable superparamagnetic and metastable ferrimagnetic states, blocked by magnetic anisotropy energy. The resistivity temperature dependences have the semiconducting conductivity type. The charge transfer due to the hopping conductivity on the localized states in the energy band near the Fermi level dominates at 260–300 K. At 130–200 K the charge transfer is realized by electrons tunneling through the energy barrier. The electrons inelastic tunneling on conducting channels between grains, through the localized states in the dielectic interlayer dominates at low temperatures. The resistivity decreases in magnetic fields and the negative tunneling magnetoresistive effect reaching 41% occurs.