Emergent and robust ferromagnetic-insulating state in highly strained ferroelastic LaCoO3 thin films

Dong Li, Hongguang Wang*, Kaifeng Li, Bonan Zhu*, Kai Jiang*, Dirk Backes, Larissa S.I. Veiga, Jueli Shi, Pinku Roy, Ming Xiao, Aiping Chen, Quanxi Jia, Tien Lin Lee, Sarnjeet S. Dhesi, David O. Scanlon, Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll, Peter A. van Aken, Kelvin H.L. Zhang*, Weiwei Li*

*此作品的通讯作者

科研成果: 期刊稿件文章同行评审

20 引用 (Scopus)

摘要

Transition metal oxides are promising candidates for the next generation of spintronic devices due to their fascinating properties that can be effectively engineered by strain, defects, and microstructure. An excellent example can be found in ferroelastic LaCoO3 with paramagnetism in bulk. In contrast, unexpected ferromagnetism is observed in tensile-strained LaCoO3 films, however, its origin remains controversial. Here we simultaneously reveal the formation of ordered oxygen vacancies and previously unreported long-range suppression of CoO6 octahedral rotations throughout LaCoO3 films. Supported by density functional theory calculations, we find that the strong modification of Co 3d-O 2p hybridization associated with the increase of both Co-O-Co bond angle and Co-O bond length weakens the crystal-field splitting and facilitates an ordered high-spin state of Co ions, inducing an emergent ferromagnetic-insulating state. Our work provides unique insights into underlying mechanisms driving the ferromagnetic-insulating state in tensile-strained ferroelastic LaCoO3 films while suggesting potential applications toward low-power spintronic devices.

源语言英语
文章编号3638
期刊Nature Communications
14
1
DOI
出版状态已出版 - 12月 2023
已对外发布

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