Influence of deposition rate on magnetic properties of inverse-spinel NiCo2O4epitaxial thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

We investigated the influence of the deposition rate on structural and magnetic properties of inverse-spinel ferrimagnet NiCo₂O₄ epitaxial films grown by pulsed laser deposition. While films' lattice constants are insensitive to the deposition rate, saturation magnetization, and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for the film grown with a high deposition rate are reduced. These results imply that growing NiCo₂O₄ films with a high deposition rate leads to occupations of the tetrahedral site by Ni, although Ni ideally occupies only the octahedral site. Controlling the deposition rate and modulating the cation distribution is the key for tuning the magnetic properties in NiCo₂O₄ films.