Relevance of Platinum Underlayer Crystal Quality for the Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of the Heterostructures YbFeO/Pt/YSZ(111).

The hexagonal ferrite h-YbFeO grown on YSZ(111) by pulsed laser deposition is foreseen as a promising single multiferroic candidate where ferroelectricity and antiferromagnetism coexist for future applications at low temperatures. We studied in detail the microstructure as well as the temperature dependence of the magnetic properties of the devices by comparing the heterostructures grown directly on YSZ(111) (i.e.

Structural and Morphological Studies of Pt in the As-Grown and Encapsulated States and Dependency on Film Thickness.

The morphology and crystal structure of Pt films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)at high temperatures = 900 °C was studied for four different film thicknesses varying between 10 and 70 nm. During the subsequent growth of the capping layer, the thermal stability of the Pt was strongly influenced by the Pt film's thickness. Furthermore, these later affected the film morphology, the crystal structure and hillocks size, and distribution during subsequent growth at = 900 °C for a long duration.

Dependence of the Structural and Magnetic Properties on the Growth Sequence in Heterostructures Designed by YbFeO and BaFeO.

The structure and the chemical composition of individual layers as well as of interfaces belonging to the two heterostructures M1 (BaFeO/YbFeO/YSZ) and M2 (YbFeO/BaFeO/YSZ) grown by pulsed laser deposition on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates are deeply characterized by using a combination of methods such as high-resolution X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic-resolution scanning TEM with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The temperature-dependent magnetic properties demonstrate two distinct heterostructures with different coercivity, anisotropy fields, and first anisotropy constants, which are related to the defect concentrations within the individual layers and to the degree of intermixing at the interface. The heterostructure with the stacking order BaFeO/YbFeO, i.