Engineering structural homogeneity and magnetotransport in strained Nd₂Ir₂O₇ films

The 5d pyrochlore iridate family (R2Ir2O7, where R is a rare earth ion) has garnered significant attention due to its topological properties, such as Weyl semimetallic phases and axion insulator. However, the investigation of these properties has been impeded by severe iridium loss during growth, which results in the formation of defects and impurities. Herein, we demonstrate a method for controlling impurities and defects in strained Nd2Ir2O7 (NIO-227) films by compensating for iridium loss during growth. By increasing the amount of IrO2 target ablated, we enhance the morphological quality and electrical transport properties of the fabricated films. Furthermore, our results show that the anomalous Hall effects of the films have a strong dependency on the amount of IrO2 target ablated, which is attributed to the structural inhomogeneity in the NIO-227 films. Our work provides a way to control defects and impurities and would promote the investigation of topological phases in the family R2Ir2O7.