Structural and Magnetic Properties of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3/SrTiO3/CoFe2 Hard-Soft Magnetic Systems

We report on the growth and magnetic properties of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3/SrTiO3/CoFe2 hard-soft magnetic systems prepared by pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO3(001) substrates. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction along the [100]SrTiO3 substrate azimuth and atomic force microscopy measurements reveal that La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 and SrTiO3 grow both in a three dimensional mode and that the roughness of the lower and upper magnetic/non-magnetic interfaces ranges between 2 and 4 angstrom . Cross-section transmission electron microscopy observations show that the layers are continuous, with an homogeneous thickness, and that the interfaces are mostly sharp and correlated. The magnetization curves show a two step reversal of the magnetization, with very distinct coercive fields. A small anisotropy is observed for the CoFe2 layer with an in plane easy magnetization axis along the [110]SrTiO3 direction. Minor magnetization loops indicate that the coupling between the magnetic layers is negligible.