Strain Induced Changes in the Magnetic Phase Diagram of Metamagnetic HeteroepitaxialEuSe/PbSe1−xTexMultilayers

Abstract

Multilayers of strained metamagnetic EuSe intercalated with nonmagnetic PbSe1-xTex were grown by molecular beam epitaxy under conditions optimized by electron diffraction. From detailed structural and magnetic characterization using anomalous synchrotron x-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements, the phase transition temperatures and the magnetic phase diagrams of strained EuSe as a function of the in-plane lattice constant are determined. In this way, it is demonstrated that the magnetic properties of the samples can be significantly changed by applying biaxial strain on EuSe in superlattice structures.

Sign of the superexchange coupling between next-nearest neighbors in EuO

“…The tensile stress by the substrate results in a 0.8% lattice expansion, which is relatively large compared to other experimental data. 33 The thickness of the films ranges between 200 and 400 nm. Considering the relatively small lattice mismatch between the film and CaF 2 substrate, the critical thickness for strain relaxation should be fairly large.…”

Optical second harmonic generation in the centrosymmetric magnetic semiconductors EuTe and EuSe

“…58,63,64 EuX are classical Heisenberg magnets where the competition between the nearest neighbor ͑NN͒ exchange integral J 1 and the next-nearest neighbor ͑NNN͒ integral J 2 results in magnetic phase diagrams that may include antiferromagnetic ͑AFM͒, ferrimagnetic ͑FIM͒, and ferromagnetic ͑FM͒ ordering, as well as a paramagnetic phase at elevated temperatures. 58,59 Since the 4f electrons are spatially localized at the Eu-core, no overlap of 4f-wave functions of neighboring Eu-ions is expected. Therefore, the exchange interaction must be indirect.…”

Modeling the dichroic absorption band edge and light-induced magnetism in EuTe

“…1 The drawback, however, is the low critical temperature above which magnetic order is destroyed in EuX, and effort has been employed to raise their critical temperatures by introducing dopants 2 or mechanical strain. 3 The interest in EuX was invigorated with the advent of spintronics, whose implementation depends on materials in which it is possible to control the electronic spin and the ferromagnetism externally. 4 Spintronic devices require a source of spin-polarized electrical current, 5 and EuX is considered to be a candidate material for spin filtering.…”